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Conditions InDepth: Pneumonia

by Rosalyn Carson-DeWitt, MD

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Pneumonia is a serious infection of the lungs that causes the air sacs in the lungs to fill with pus and other liquid. The infection may be caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, and mycoplasma. In general, pneumonia is divided into 2 types: community-acquired, or hospital- or nursing home-acquired.

Alveoli

You may get pneumonia through a simple encounter with an organism that you breathe into your lungs. Whether or not illness occurs depends several factors, including the contagiousness of the organism, the number of organisms that are inhaled, and the ability of the immune system to fight infections.

In the US, pneumonia is a very common illness, especially among people who are elderly.

References

Community-acquired pneumonia in adults. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: http://www.dynamed.... Accessed November 10, 2019.

Community-acquired pneumonia in children. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: http://www.dynamed.... Accessed November 10, 2019.

Koulenti D, Rello J. Hospital-acquired pneumonia in the 21st century: a review of existing treatment options and their impact on patient care. Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2006;7(12):1555-1569.

Learn about pneumonia. American Lung Association website. Available at:
...(Click grey area to select URL)
Accessed November 10, 2019.

Mandell LA, Wunderink RG, Anzueto A, et al. Infectious Diseases Society of America/American Thoracic Society consensus guidelines on the management of community-acquired pneumonia in adults. Clin Infect Dis. 2007;44 Suppl 2:S27-S72.

Pneumonia. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute website. Available at:
...(Click grey area to select URL)
Accessed November 10, 2019.

Last reviewed January 2020 by EBSCO Medical Review Board David L. Horn, MD, FACP
Last Updated:1/21/2020

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