Table 2.
Respiratory tract pathogens of importance in cancer patients
| Common viral pathogens | Common bacterial pathogens | Common fungal pathogens |
| Influenza | Streptococcus pneumoniae | Molds |
| A (H3N2 endemic) | Haemophilus influenzae | Aspergillus spp. |
| A (H1N1 endemic) | Moraxella catarrhalis | Mucormycoses |
| B | Staphylococcus aureus | Alternaria |
| 2009 H1N1 (epidemic) | Methicillin susceptible | Cladosporium |
| Respiratory syncytial virus | Methicillin resistant | Scedosporium |
| Human metapneumovirus | Streptococcus pyogenes | Fusarium |
| Parainfluenza, types 1-3 | Other Streptococcus spp. | Penicillium |
| Adenovirus | Group B streptococci | Yeasts |
| Rhinovirus | Group G streptococci | Candida spp. (almost always embolic) |
| Herpes simplex virus, types 1 and 2 | Viridans group streptococci | Cryptococcus |
| Cytomegalovirus | Enterobacteriaceae | Pneumocystis jerovechi (PCP, PJP) |
| Varicella zoster virus | Escherichia coli | Dimorphic fungi |
| Ebstein-Barr virus (as a cause of PTLD) | Klebsiella pneumoniae | Histoplasma capsulatum |
| Human herpesvirus 6 | Pseudomonas aeruginosa | Coccidioides immitis |
| Human coronaviruses (e.g., NL63, HKU-1) | Acinetobacter baumannii | |
| Mycoplasma pneumoniae | Uncommon other pathogens | |
| Chlamydiophila pneumoniae | Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) | |
| Legionella spp. | Avian influenza | |
| Oral anaerobes (especially with aspiration) | Rubeola (measles) | |
| Prevotella spp. | Hantavirus | |
| Fusobacterium spp. | Mycobacterium kansasii | |
| Polymicrobial | Mycobacterium avium intracellulare (MAC) | |
| Actinomyces | ||
| Common acid fast pathogens | Blastomyces dermatidis | |
| Mycobacterium tuberculosis | Strongyloides stercoralis | |
| Nocardia spp. | Toxoplasma gondii | |
| Uncommon bacterial pathogens | ||
| Neisseria meningitidis (especially serogroup Y) | ||
| Bordetella pertussis | ||
| Chlamydia psittaci | ||
| Coxiella burnetti (Q-fever) | ||
| Yersinia pestis |