Pneumonia

Pneumonia is a leading cause of death and hospitalization, costing health care systems billions of dollars and an estimated 600,000 adult deaths worldwide each year. Pneumococcal disease is caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae and the term describes a group of illnesses, including invasive infections, such as bacteremia/sepsis and meningitis, as well as pneumonia and upper respiratory tract infections. Although all age groups may be affected, the highest rate of pneumococcal disease occurs in young children and older adults. In addition, persons suffering from a wide range of chronic conditions (eg, diabetes, cardiovascular disease) and immune deficiencies are at increased risk.

Viral vs Bacterial Pneumonia

Pneumonia is an infection of one or both lungs which affects alveoli. This article looks at the differences between bacterial and viral pneumonia.

Pneumonia Classification

Pneumonia Cause

Pneumonia Symptoms & Risk Factors

Walking Pneumonia

Walking Pneumonia versus Pneumonia

Pneumonia Treatment

Pneumonia Epidemiology

Walking Pneumonia Versus Common Cold

Types of Atypical Pneumonia

Who Gets Walking Pneumonia?

Pneumonia History

See more featured articles »

Risk Factors and Walking Pneumonia Prevention

Pneumonia Diagnosis

Walking Pneumonia: When to See a Doctor?

How is Walking Pneumonia Treated?

Is Sense of Smell Linked to Pneumonia?

Pneumonia in Children

Is Walking Pneumonia Contagious?

Walking Pneumonia Versus Bronchitis

Latest Pneumonia News and Research

Understanding how biological sex and gender inequities contribute to suboptimal sepsis treatment

Sepsis continues to be a leading cause of mortality in ICUs worldwide. Despite advances in early detection and treatment, standardized antibiotic dosing frequently ignores patient-level variability-especially that associated with sex-related physiology and gender-influenced care disparities.

31 Oct 2025

Global study suggests potential for universal vaccine against Haemophilus influenzae

A vaccine that tackles the bacteria that cause up to 200 million childhood infections every year could be possible, experts say.

31 Oct 2025

Understanding the role of m6A methylation in acute lung injury pathogenesis

Acute lung injury (ALI) is a critical clinical condition characterized by diffuse inflammation of the lung parenchyma and intractable hypoxemia, typically caused by factors, such as trauma, pneumonia, shock, and sepsis.

30 Oct 2025

Doctors muffled as Florida moves to end decades of childhood vaccination mandates

Florida plans to end nearly a half-century of required childhood immunizations against diseases that have killed and maimed millions of children. Many critics of the decision, including doctors, are afraid to speak up against it.

27 Oct 2025

New database transforms evidence-based care for children with lower respiratory tract infections

Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) remain the most common illnesses in children, accounting for up to two-thirds of pediatric outpatient and inpatient cases in China.

24 Oct 2025

A parent's guide to manage pediatric respiratory illnesses during the virus season

As we head deeper into fall and toward the holiday season, your little one may start to exhibit symptoms like a runny nose, cough, or fever.

24 Oct 2025

Targeting bacterial communication may offer antibiotic-free wound therapy

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine have discovered a previously unrecognized mechanism by which Staphylococcus aureus - one of the most common causes of skin and soft tissue infections worldwide - delays wound healing.

15 Oct 2025

Children living near the Salton Sea face declining lung function

Children living near the Salton Sea, in Southern California's desert region of Imperial County, are experiencing poorer lung function than children exposed to less wind-blown dust, according to a new study led by researchers at the University of California, Irvine's Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health.

14 Oct 2025

$Anesthesiologist-led care speeds surgery and reduces complications for hip fracture patients$

Anesthesiologist-led care speeds surgery and reduces complications for hip fracture patients

When anesthesiologists lead the preoperative process, patients undergoing surgery for hip fractures - one of the leading causes of hospitalization in older adults - get to the operating room (OR) faster and have fewer complications, according to a study presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY® 2025 annual meeting.

13 Oct 2025

Study finds prolonged fasting common among infants before anesthesia

Most children - including nearly 80% of infants - go without clear liquids before surgery for at least twice as long as guidelines recommend, according to an analysis of data on more than 70,000 children presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2025 annual meeting.

13 Oct 2025

Inside the high-stakes battle over vaccine injury compensation, autism, and public trust

Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has floated a seismic idea: adding autism to the list of conditions covered by the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.

6 Oct 2025

Advancing patient safety for children: building safer systems from birth

Laís Junqueira discusses patient safety challenges in pediatric care and the need for system-level innovations to protect children and newborns effectively.

2 Oct 2025

Ozone exposure weakens lung function and reshapes the oral microbiome

Ozone exposure reshapes the oral microbiome and reduces lung function, particularly in men, revealing significant health risks associated with pollution.

1 Oct 2025

Second-hand smoke causes major health burden for children worldwide

Children lose 8.45 million days of healthy life each year globally due to second hand smoke, according to research presented at the European Respiratory Society Congress in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

29 Sep 2025

Affordable drug found to be effective in treating seriously ill COVID-19 patients

A widely available and affordable drug has been shown to be effective in treating seriously ill COVID-19 patients, according to a new international study led by researchers at the Australian National University (ANU) in collaboration with King's College London.

29 Sep 2025