New research shows that current or former alcoholics have a high risk for developing Streptococcus pneumoniae (S pneumoniae), a bacteria known to cause pneumonia. Researchers from Spain and Germany compared the etiology, antibiotic resistance of S pneumoniae, severity, and outcome of patients with alcohol abuse with nonalcoholics hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Among patients, 128 were current alcoholics, 54 former alcoholics, and 1,165 non-alcoholics. Results indicated that patients with a history of alcohol abuse had the highest incidence of S pneumoniae. Overall, 27 percent of alcoholics, 30 percent of former alcoholics, and 16 percent of nonalcoholics developed S pneumoniae. Alcoholic patients presented more severe forms of CAP, but no significant differences were found in mortality, antibiotic resistance of S pneumoniae, and other etiologies. Findings support the need to promote pneumococcal vaccination in patients with a history of alcoholism. The study appears in the May issue of CHEST, the peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Chest Physicians.
