Streptococcus pneumoniae was considered as the causative agent of CAP when a S. pneumoniae strain was isolated from > 1 blood culture or when validated sputum (< 10 squamous epithelial cells and > 25 polymorphonuclear cells per low-power field) or tracheobronchial aspirates cultures grew with > 10 5 cfu/mL S. pneumoniae. Patients having CAP due to a penicillinresistant strain of S. pneumoniae (MIC > 2 mg/l) were excluded from our study.