Streptococcus pneumoniae is a gram-positive, lancet-shaped bacterium and a cause of community-acquired pneumonia. Pneumococcal ...NCBISkiptomaincontentSkiptonavigationResourcesHowToAboutNCBIAccesskeysMyNCBISignintoNCBISignOutNCBIBookshelf.AserviceoftheNationalLibraryofMedicine,NationalInstitutesofHealth.StatPearls[Internet].TreasureIsland(FL):StatPearlsPublishing;2021Jan-.StatPearls[Internet].ShowdetailsTreasureIsland(FL):StatPearlsPublishing;2021Jan-.SearchtermStreptococcusPneumoniaeChristopherF.Dion;JohnV.Ashurst.AuthorInformationAuthorsChristopherF.Dion1;JohnV.Ashurst2.Affiliations1MidwesternUniversity2KingmanRegionalMedicalCenterLastUpdate:August10,2020.ContinuingEducationActivityStreptococcuspneumoniaeisagram-positive,lancet-shapedbacteriumandacauseofcommunity-acquiredpneumonia.Pneumococcalinfectionsarepresentthroughouttheworldandaremostprevalentduringthewinterandearlyspringmonths.ThisactivityoutlinestheevaluationandtreatmentofStreptococcuspneumoniainfectionsandreviewstheroleofinterprofessionalteammembersinimprovingcareforthosewiththiscondition.Objectives:Describethepathophysiologyofstreptococcuspneumonia.Reviewthehistoryandphysicalexamofapatientwithstreptococcalpneumonia.Summarizethetreatmentoptionsforstreptococcalpneumonia.Explaintheimportanceofcooperationamongtheinterprofessionalteamineducatingpatientsontheadvantagesanddisadvantagesofbloodcultures,andcompliancewithantibioticstoenhancethedeliveryofcareofthosewithStreptococcuspneumoniae.Earncontinuingeducationcredits(CME/CE)onthistopic.IntroductionCommunity-acquiredpneumonia(CAP)istheseventhleadingcauseofdeathintheUnitedStates,andthecostofthesehospitalizationsisestimatedtocostupto$9billionintheUnitedStates(US)dollarseachyear.Thirty-dayhospitalmortalityassociatedwithCAPhasbeenestimatedtobeashighas22%andistheleadingcauseofdeathamongstallinfectiousdiseases.StreptococcuspneumoniaeisthebacteriumthathashistoricallybeenthemostcommonpathogentocauseCAPworldwide.Intheerabeforeantibiotics,S.pneumoniaewasestimatedtobethec