Ceftriaxone Vs Levofloxacin on Cytokine Expression in Pneumococcal Pneumonia

Inclusion Criteria: * patients with an acute febrile respiratory illness accompanied by a new radiographic infiltrate consistent with this diagnosis. * and with a confirmed pneumococcal aetiology Exclusion Criteria: * age \< 18 years, * pneumonia distal to endobronchial obstruction, * pulmonary tuberculosis, * bronchiectasis, * known allergy to B-lactams or fluoroquinolones, * underlying systemic autoimmune disease * immunocompromised states including patients on maintenance oral corticosteroids, HIV infection, * pregnancy, * patients that received antimicrobial therapy in the 15 days preceding the current episode and those who had received fluoroquinolones in the last month, or non steroidal anti-inflammatory therapy in the last two weeks. * Patients with renal failure (serum creatinine \> 2 mg / dL), * and patients with a documented pneumococcal pneumonia in the previous 4 weeks