Lung abscess

Patients with lung abscess should be informed about the nature of their infection and the possible causes. Trust and cooperation between the patient and attending physician helps minimize patient exposure to conditions that predispose to relapse or recurrence (e.g., alcohol use disorder, substance use disorder). The importance of good dental hygiene, particularly in people predisposed to gastric content aspiration, should be explained. The patient should also be informed that antimicrobial therapy is usually prolonged and requires strict adherence.