The standardization of criteria for processing and interpreting laboratory specimens in patients with suspected ventilator-associated pneumonia.

T he microbiologic analysis of respiratory specimens is a key component of both the clinical investigation of ventilatorassociated pneumonia (YAP) and patient care. Although there is a substantial body of literature on the use of a variety of lower respiratory tract specimens, there is litfie standardization of the approaches to processing and interpreting results from the various specimens. The purpose of this communication is to delineate specific recommendations for the microbiologic analysis of specimens originating from the lower respiratory tract, as developed by the Laboratory Analysis Group of the Consensus Conference.