Strep Pneumo Antigen Urine

Streptococcus pneumoniae is the leading cause of community- acquired pneumonia and may be the most important agent in community-acquired pneumonia of unknown etiology. Pneumococcal pneumonia has a mortality rate as high as 30%, depending on bacteremia, age and underlying diseases. When not properly diagnosed and treated, S. pneumoniae infection can lead to bacteremia, meningitis, pericarditis, empyema, purpura fulminans, endocarditis and/or arthritis.

Pneumococcal meningitis, a condition that frequently leads to permanent brain damage or death, can occur as a complication of other pneumococcal infection or may arise spontaneously without any preceding illness. It affects persons of all ages, but is most common in children under 5 years, teenagers and young adults, and in the elderly. Progression from mild illness to coma can occur within hours, making immediate diagnosis and antimicrobial treatment critical. Twenty to thirty percent of all pneumococcal meningitis patients will die, often despite several days of appropriate antibiotic treatment.