Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia: Diagnostic Test Stewardship and Relevance of Culturing Practices

Purpose of Review Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is one of the most common infections in the ICU. Prompt diagnosis is vital as mortality increases with delayed antibiotic therapy. However, accurate diagnosis is challenging due to non-specific clinical features in a complicated patient cohort. Microbiological culture data remains a crucial aspect in confirming diagnosis.