histamine release?

[mme]

I was diagnosed with pneumonia (left) 2 weeks ago.  It all started with severe itch to both feet and lower legs followed by fever the next day, chills, pleritic pain (severe).  My white count was 18,000 and they changed my antibiotic 5 days in b/c the fever wasn't going.  I did the 10 day course of levo... and am slowly improving.  I am now pain free and have minimal cough but suffer greatly from fatigue (am anemic at hg 112).  My question is in regards to the itch which went away for about a week but is now back maybe once per day and usually only in the feet lower leg area.  It is like an allergic response but I have changed nothing.  My girlfriend suffered from pneumonia a few years back and said she had the same experience with entire body going itchy and then rash/hives.  Is this related to pnemonia (pneumonia)?  I was not on antibiotics when it started.  My second question would be regarding a bad tooth that is going to be pulled and has a foul taste, could this be related to the sepsis or high white count or is that just the pneumonia??

Thanks for your help.

[National Jewish]

Bacterial, viral, or allergic pneumonia can be accompanied by severe itching with or without a rash.  Surely, based on the information given, the pneumonia and severe itching are related in this instance.  More than a few germs found in the mouth, can cause serious pneumonia.   The infected tooth could be responsible for the bacteria in the blood, called bacteremia, and pneumonia.  Your tooth and your blood should be cultured.  These cultures should include sensitivity testing.  This testing should identify the antibiotic that will work best against the germ that is causing your problems.  After starting on the antibiotic, the tooth should be removed and the abscess drained.  The white count could be high either because of the infected tooth or pneumonia.