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Clinical and Translational Medicine

Table 1 CDC Algorithm for VAP diagnosis [[1]]

From: A translational approach to ventilator associated pneumonia

1= Purulent respiratory secretions AND one of the following:

2= One of the following (without requirement for purulent respiratory secretions):

• Positive culture of endotracheal aspirate, ≥ 105 CFU/ml *

• Positive pleural fluid culture

• Positive culture of bronchoalveolar lavage, ≥ 104 CFU/ml*

• Positive lung histopathology

• Positive culture of lung tissue, ≥ 104 CFU/ml*

• Positive diagnostic test for Legionella spp.

• Positive culture of protected specimen brush, ≥ 103 CFU/ml*

• Positive diagnostic test on respiratory secretions for influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus, adenovirus, parainfluenza virus

  1. On or after calendar day 3 of mechanical ventilation and within 2 calendar days before or after the onset of worsening oxygenation, criteria 1 or 2 is met (*or equivalent semi-quantitative result).
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