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It is the most common bacterial pneumonia found in adults, the most common type of community-acquired pneumonia, and one of the common types of pneumococcal infection. The estimated number of Americans with pneumococcal pneumonia is 900,000 annually, with almost 400,000 cases hospitalized and fatalities accounting for 5-7% of these cases. [2]
There is an association between pneumococcal pneumonia and influenza. Damage to the lining of the airways (respiratory epithelium) and upper respiratory system caused by influenza may facilitate pneumococcal entry and infection. [6] Influenza also modifies the innate immune system into a state more accommodating to pneumococcal infections. [7]
Pneumonia is usually caused by infection with viruses or bacteria, and less commonly by other microorganisms. [a] Identifying the responsible pathogen can be difficult. Diagnosis is often based on symptoms and physical examination. [8] Chest X-rays, blood tests, and culture of the sputum may help confirm the diagnosis. [8]
However, bacterial pneumonia can develop after a viral respiratory infection, usually developing seven to 10 days after the onset of the viral infection. So antibiotics might not be required for ...
After the latency period (but before clinical infection) the infected person can transmit the disease without signs of any symptoms. Such infection is called subclinical infection. Incubation period (also known as the latent period or latency period ) is the time elapsed between exposure to a pathogenic organism, a chemical, or radiation , and ...
Bacterial pneumonia cases are on the rise in young children, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Pneumonia, a common lung infection, can be caused by multiple sources ...
Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most common bacterial cause of pneumonia in all age groups except newborn infants. Streptococcus pneumoniae is a Gram-positive bacterium that often lives in the throat of people who do not have pneumonia. Other important Gram-positive causes of pneumonia are Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus anthracis.
The combination of cell destruction and fluid-filled alveoli interrupts the transportation of oxygen into the bloodstream. In addition to their effects on the lungs, many viruses affect other organs. Viral infections weaken the immune system, making the body more susceptible to bacterial infection, including bacterial pneumonia.