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 Symptoms & Risk Factors

Pneumonia Classification

Pneumonia Cause

Pneumonia in Children

Pneumonia Diagnosis

Pneumonia Treatment

Pneumonia Epidemiology

Pneumonia History

Walking Pneumonia

Is Walking Pneumonia Contagious?

Walking Pneumonia versus Pneumonia

See more featured articles »

Walking Pneumonia Versus Common Cold

Walking Pneumonia Versus Bronchitis

Who Gets Walking Pneumonia?

Types of Atypical Pneumonia

How is Walking Pneumonia Treated?

Walking Pneumonia: When to See a Doctor?

Risk Factors and Walking Pneumonia Prevention

Is Sense of Smell Linked to Pneumonia?

Latest Pneumonia News and Research

Risk factors associated with type 2 diabetes-related mortality

Researchers assess population-attributable risk variables for cause-specific and all-cause mortality due to type 2 diabetes.

5 Feb 2023

Pulmonary morphopathology in COVID-19 caused by the B.1.617.2 Delta variant

Researchers examined the histopathological condition of the lungs of patients who died from COVID-19 caused by the SARS-CoV-2 Delta (B.1.617.2) variant.

3 Feb 2023

Increase in multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria in German hospitals linked to patients from Ukraine

The pathogens reach German hospitals with refugees and war casualties. Researchers recommend precautionary screening for hospitals.

2 Feb 2023

Where does COVID-19 rank as an underlying cause of death for children and young people in the US?

A study published in JAMA Network Open ranks COVID-19 in 8th position among all causes of death in children and young adults aged 0 to 19 years in the United States.

2 Feb 2023

The safety and tolerability of Remdesivir in children affected by COVID-19

Researchers reported findings of a multicenter study conducted across ten hospitals in Italy to investigate the safety of RDV in children affected by COVID-19.

2 Feb 2023

Many young people don't believe they are at risk for heart disease, survey finds

February is American Heart Month and a new national survey commissioned by The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center found that even though heart attacks are increasingly common in younger people, many don't believe they are at risk for heart disease.

2 Feb 2023

Light-activated nanoscale drills can combat infectious fungi

That stubborn athlete's foot infection an estimated 70% of people get at some point in their life could become much easier to get rid of thanks to nanoscale drills activated by visible light.

1 Feb 2023

Study: COVID-19 is a significant cause of death in children and young people in the U.S.

COVID-19 was the underlying cause of death for more than 940,000 people in the US, including over 1,300 deaths among children and young people aged 0–19 years.

30 Jan 2023

Researchers explore respiratory syncytial virus infection before and during the COVID-19 pandemic

Researchers assessed the occurrence of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection prior tobefore and at the time of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

27 Jan 2023

Maternal and perinatal outcomes of women infected with SARS-CoV-2 during the Omicron wave in Italy

Researchers assessed the impact of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination on pregnant women during the Omicron wave.

25 Jan 2023

Study suggests cortical hemorrhage in fetal brain may be associated with COVID-19

Researchers evaluated the impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections on fetal brain health.

25 Jan 2023

Epidemiological evidence that Alzheimer's and Parkinson's could be caused by viral infections

A recent study published in the journal Neuron has focussed on assessing the putative associations between viral exposures and neurodegenerative disease (NDD) onset, using real-world biobank scale data.

23 Jan 2023

Review on lateral flow test use spearheaded by SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

Researchers assessed the changing landscape of lateral flow tests (LFTs), and the development of next-generation LFTs based on lessons learnt from the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic.

23 Jan 2023

Exploring the clinical impact of co-detections of other respiratory viruses in US children hospitalized for COVID-19

Researchers recently assessed the clinical impact and epidemiology of viral co-detections in children in the United States of America (USA) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

23 Jan 2023

Genetic disorder that causes immunodeficiency and susceptibility to opportunistic infections discovered

An international consortium co-led by Vanderbilt University Medical Center immunogeneticist Rubén Martínez-Barricarte, PhD, has discovered a new genetic disorder that causes immunodeficiency and profound susceptibility to opportunistic infections including a life-threatening fungal pneumonia.

23 Jan 2023

First known epidemic of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 in farmed mink

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) is a strain of the avian influenza virus that primarily affects birds, particularly poultry. HPAI A(H5N1) is a highly contagious and deadly virus that can cause severe illness and death in birds, including chickens, ducks, geese, and turkeys.

22 Jan 2023

Analysis of seemingly recovered COVID-19 patients indicates that SARS-CoV-2 infection can persist significantly longer than suggested by PCR-negative tests

Scientists have described the infection dynamics and clinical features of PCR-negative patients who eventually died due to the worsening of COVID-19.

20 Jan 2023

WHO reports a severe case of avian (bird) flu in Ecuador

In a recent article published in the Disease Outbreak News section of the World Health Organization (WHO) website, they reported severe infection from the current H5 clade of avian influenza A virus in a nine-year-old girl inhabiting a rural province of Bolívar in Ecuador.

20 Jan 2023

Researchers create the first 'living medicine' to treat drug-resistant lung infections

Researchers have designed the first 'living medicine' to treat lung infections. The treatment targets Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a type of bacteria which is naturally resistant to many types of antibiotics and is a common source of infections in hospitals.

19 Jan 2023

Does COVID-19 cause adverse pregnancy and neonatal outcomes?

Early in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, pregnant women were thought to be at unusually high risk from the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) compared to the general population or non-pregnant women. However, later studies failed to agree on the extent and nature of the danger posed by the infection.

18 Jan 2023