In order to address more fully the mortality rate associated with pneumonia in the elderly, attention should be paid, not only to adherence to guidelines [1], but, also to the misdiagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) as CAP [2]. Misdiagnosis is, according to one view, attributable to the fact that “rigid adherence to guidelines tends to quickly categorise patients as CAP, after which a treatment algorithm is followed that covers common bacterial and non bacterial organisms” [2]. This might be especially the case, not only when PTB presents as an acute illness [2], but also when there is dual infection with m.tuberculosis and non-mycobacterial organisms [3].
