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Pneumonia fills the lung's alveoli with fluid, hindering oxygenation. The alveolus on the left is normal, whereas the one on the right is full of fluid from pneumonia. Pneumonia frequently starts as an upper respiratory tract infection that moves into the lower respiratory tract. [55] It is a type of pneumonitis (lung inflammation). [56]
Pneumonia can be acquired from different sources such as in hospitals, the community, or through use of ventilators. [6] Pneumonia is a type of lower respiratory tract infection, and is also the most deadly communicable disease as of 2016. [4] Rates are greatest in children less than five and adults older than 75 years of age. [3]
It is life-threatening in the elderly or those who are immunocompromised. [13] [14] The most common treatment is antibiotics and these vary in their adverse effects and their effectiveness. [13] [15] Pneumonia is also the leading cause of death in children less than five years of age in low income countries. [15]
Diseases such as emphysema and habits such as smoking result in more frequent and more severe bouts of pneumonia. In children, recurrent pneumonia may indicate cystic fibrosis or pulmonary sequestration. Immune problems - Immune-deficient patients, such as those with HIV/AIDS, are more likely to develop pneumonia.
More than 41,000 people in the U.S. died of pneumonia in 2022, according to the CDC. Pneumonia can be a deadly complication of COVID, the flu, and RSV: What to know about pneumococcal vaccination ...
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]
Since pneumonia can take a dangerous turn, it's important to know the earliest signs of it. Dr. Zweig says that, typically, pneumonia starts as a regular viral upper respiratory infection.
Walking pneumonia, a lung infection caused by the bacterium Mycoplasma pneumoniae, tends to be most common among older children and adolescents but in 2024 has been rampant among young children.