[Fungal pneumonias: do they exist?].

As typical opportunistic pathogens fungi, for example Pneumocystis jirovecii, infect predominantly immunocompromised hosts. There are, however, others, for example Coccidioides immitis and Cryptococcus neoformans, which endanger otherwise healthy people, too. Fungi are not mentioned as causative agents of pneumonias in the german guidelines for community acquired pneumonia. In the german guidelines for nosocomial pneumonia only very few, namely Aspergillus spp. and Candida spp., are shortly discussed. In case of severe courses of community-acquired pneumonias especially in patients with co-morbidities, which do not respond adequately to antibacterial therapy, fungi have to be included in the differential diagnostic considerations.