CKS is no longer commissioned by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). NICE remains committed to providing a replacement service for CKS and is currently reviewing its options. In the meantime, although CKS content is now not being maintained, it still remains relevant and will continue to be made available. CKS content was generated under a programme of topic creation and update. To check if the topic you are viewing is current or out of date, please refer to the topic publication details by clicking on the 'How up-to-date is this topic?' link in the left hand menu on individual topic pages.
Chest infections - adult - Management
When should I investigate a chest infection?
- A chest X-ray is diagnostic of pneumonia, but is not considered necessary for most people with suspected community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) who are managed in the community.
- Microbiological investigations are not usually considered necessary to diagnose community-acquired pneumonia or acute bronchitis in most people with suspected acute bronchitis or CAP managed in the community. Sputum samples for culture and/or sensitivity may be useful in people with recurrent episodes of acute bronchitis who may have become colonized with bacteria resistant to first-line antibiotics.
© NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement