Community-Acquired Pneumonia vs Influenza
Community-Acquired Pneumonia and Influenza are easy to mix up on the boards. Here's a side-by-side comparison — presentation, workup, imaging, and first-line treatment — drawn from our full outlines.
Community-Acquired Pneumonia vs Influenza at a glance
- Community-Acquired Pneumonia: Lower respiratory tract infection acquired outside of healthcare settings.
- Influenza: Acute viral respiratory illness from influenza A or B with seasonal epidemics and pandemic potential.
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Side-by-side comparison
| Feature | Community-Acquired Pneumonia | Influenza |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | Lower respiratory tract infection acquired outside of healthcare settings. | Acute viral respiratory illness from influenza A or B with seasonal epidemics and pandemic potential. |
| Classic presentation | Lobar consolidation with bronchial breath sounds and egophony classically points to S. pneumoniae; bullous myringitis with patchy infiltrates suggests… | Abrupt onset (over hours) of fever, chills, myalgia, headache, fatigue; Respiratory: dry cough, sore throat, nasal congestion/rhinorrhea; GI symptoms… |
| Workup / key labs | CBC (leukocytosis with left shift), BMP, lactate, procalcitonin (helps de-escalate antibiotics); Blood cultures × 2 if severe, ICU admission,… | Often clinical diagnosis during peak season in otherwise well outpatients; Rapid influenza diagnostic tests (RIDT) — point-of-care, modest sensitivity… |
| Imaging | Chest radiograph (PA and lateral) — REQUIRED to diagnose pneumonia; lobar consolidation, interstitial infiltrate, or cavitation; CT chest if non-resolving,… | Chest radiograph if hypoxia, focal findings, or worsening symptoms — to exclude primary viral pneumonia or secondary bacterial pneumonia; CT chest if… |
| First-line treatment | Outpatient, no comorbidities, no recent antibiotics: amoxicillin 1 g TID OR doxycycline 100 mg BID OR macrolide (azithromycin, clarithromycin) if local… | Antivirals — start ASAP for symptomatic patients (ideally within 48 h of onset):; Oseltamivir 75 mg BID × 5 days (oral; renal dose adjust) — most widely used;… |
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