Identification of a marker of infection in the breath using a porcine pneumonia model.

Objective: Pneumonia, both in the community and the hospital setting, represents a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the cardiothoracic patient population. Diagnosis of pneumonia can be masked by other disease processes and is often diagnosed after the patient is already experiencing the disease. A noninvasive, sensitive test for pneumonia could decrease hospitalizations and length of stay for patients.