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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]
Pneumococcal infection is an infection caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae. [ 1 ] S. pneumoniae is a common member of the bacterial flora colonizing the nose and throat of 5–10% of healthy adults and 20–40% of healthy children. [ 2 ]
It can be a cause of neonatal infections. [4] Streptococcus pneumoniae is the main cause of community acquired pneumonia and meningitis in children and the elderly, [5] and of sepsis in those infected with HIV. The organism also causes many types of pneumococcal infections other than pneumonia.
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.
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]
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.
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 ...
Sepsis - A life-threatening reaction to infection. A common cause of sepsis is bacterial pneumonia, frequently the result of infection with streptococcus pneumoniae. Patients with sepsis require intensive care with blood pressure monitoring and support against hypotension. Sepsis can cause liver, kidney and heart damage.