Respiratory pathogens
The table below lists the more common respiratory pathogens:
| Pathogen | Associated condition |
|---|---|
| Respiratory syncytial virus | Bronchiolitis |
| Parainfluenza virus | Croup |
| Rhinovirus | Common cold |
| Influenza virus | Flu |
| Streptococcus pneumoniae | The most common cause of community-acquired pneumonia |
| Haemophilus influenzae | Community-acquired pneumonia Most common cause of bronchiectasis exacerbations Acute epiglottitis |
| Staphylococcus aureus | Pneumonia, particularly following influenza |
| Mycoplasma pneumoniae | Atypical pneumonia Flu-like symptoms classically precede a dry cough. Complications include haemolytic anaemia and erythema multiforme |
| Legionella pneumophilia | Atypical pneumonia Classically spread by air-conditioning systems, causes dry cough. Lymphopenia, deranged liver function tests and hyponatraemia may be seen |
| Pneumocystis jiroveci | Common cause of pneumonia in HIV patients. Typically patients have few chest signs and develop exertional dyspnoea |
| Mycobacterium tuberculosis | Causes tuberculosis. A wide range of presentations from asymptomatic to disseminated disease are possible. Cough, night sweats and weight loss may be seen |