Signs and Symptoms
Onset of symptoms is often gradual, but in necrotizing staphylococcal or gram-negative bacillary pneumonias patients can be acutely ill. Cough, fever with shivering and night sweats are often present. Cough can be productive with foul smelling purulent sputum (≈70%) or less frequently with blood (i.e. hemoptysis in one third cases). Affected individuals may also complain of chest pain, shortness of breath, lethargy and other features of chronic illness.
Patients are generally cachectic at presentation. Finger clubbing is present in one third of patients. Dental decay is common especially in alcoholics and children. On examination of chest there will be features of consolidation such as localised dullness on percussion, bronchial breath sound etc.
Read more about this topic: Lung Abscess
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