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General Reference ⬇

Jama 1997;277:1214; Clin Inf Dis 1992;15:757

Pathophys and Cause ⬆ ⬇

Cause: Chlamydia pneumoniae(TWAR agent)

Pathophys:Pneumonia and bronchitis

Epidemiology ⬆ ⬇

100 000 cases/yr in US; nearly half of all adults have a titer

Signs and Symptoms ⬆ ⬇

Sx:

7- to 14-d incubation period

Sore throat and hoarseness often 1st sx; fever only early in crs; dry cough often late in crs

Si:Minimal findings on chest exam; worse in elderly

Course ⬆ ⬇

Long (weeks) even w rx

Complications ⬆ ⬇

Chronic infections may increase MIs? (Ann IM 1996;125:979, 1992;116:273)

r/o mycoplasma (cold agglutinins)

Lab and Xray ⬆ ⬇

Lab: Serol:paired sera allow dx of nonspecific chlamydial infection retrospectively

Xray:Chest, may show atypical pneumonic infiltrate

Treatment ⬆

Rx:Tetracycline or erythromycin 500 mg qid × 10-14 d