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

A review of clinical features, diagnosis, and management of Mpox

A comprehensive review in JAMA outlines monkeypox's clinical presentation and management, stressing the need for increased surveillance and vaccination efforts.

17 Oct 2024

Electronic nudges improve flu vaccination rates in non-diabetic patients but fail to increase uptake in diabetics

Electronic nudges had a small impact on flu vaccine uptake in patients without diabetes but showed no significant effect among diabetic patients, suggesting the need for tailored strategies for this group.

16 Oct 2024

COVID-19 raises the risk of type 2 diabetes in children, study reveals

Researchers found that children who contracted COVID-19 were at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes within six months, compared to those with other respiratory infections.

15 Oct 2024

Research links NK cells to severe cases of RSV in children

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of hospitalization in young children due to respiratory complications such as bronchiolitis and pneumonia.

12 Oct 2024

Oral health strategies for healthy aging: A call to action

Research explores the connection between aging populations and oral health, proposing an integrated model to address health challenges in older adults, with a focus on policy changes in the UK.

10 Oct 2024

WHO report highlights the role of vaccines in reducing antibiotic use

A new report by the World Health Organization (WHO) finds that vaccines against 24 pathogens could reduce the number of antibiotics needed by 22% or 2.5 billion defined daily doses globally every year, supporting worldwide efforts to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

10 Oct 2024

FAU researchers highlight new vaccination barriers

Vaccines to prevent common and serious infectious diseases have had a greater impact on improving human health than any other medical advance of the 20th century, surpassing even sanitation and potable water. From the global eradication of smallpox in 1980 to the unprecedented development of effective and safe mRNA vaccines for COVID-19, vaccinations have played crucial roles in preventing millions of premature deaths and hospitalizations in adults and children.

8 Oct 2024

New X-ray technique reveals metal ion role in antibiotic efficacy

Researchers from City St George's, University of London have used a new ultra-high precision x-ray scattering technique to unveil the location and identity of metal ions in bacteria that are crucial for antibiotics to work optimally.

4 Oct 2024

New insights into the link between respiratory infections and chronic lung diseases

A 3D reconstruction of a mouse lung four days after infection with fluorescent Sendai virus reveals widespread virus presence (red) and active replication (green).

3 Oct 2024

Diagnostic errors affecting one in fourteen hospital patients

Harmful diagnostic errors may be occurring in as many as 1 in every 14 (7%) hospital patients-;at least those receiving general medical care-;suggest the findings of a single center study in the US, published online in the journal BMJ Quality & Safety.

1 Oct 2024

New breath-based test for lower respiratory tract infections shows 100% sensitivity in critical care settings

Researchers have developed a breath-based in vitro assay that accurately detects lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) by measuring neutrophil elastase activity. This non-invasive test offers high diagnostic sensitivity and could revolutionize LRTI detection.

29 Sep 2024

Drug-free nasal spray demonstrates effectiveness in blocking viral and bacterial infections

Researchers from the Brigham detail how the spray they created may offer broad-spectrum protection from respiratory infections by COVID-19, influenza, everyday cold viruses, and pneumonia-causing bacteria

25 Sep 2024

Review highlights failures in global control strategies for bird flu transmission

A review of sustained mammal-to-mammal bird flu transmission in diverse species, led by The Pirbright Institute, shows global control strategies are not working.

24 Sep 2024

Breath analysis promises rapid diagnosis of lower respiratory infections

A proof-of-concept study promises the speedy diagnosis of lower respiratory tract infections through analysis of human breath.

24 Sep 2024

FIRS urges global leaders to combat air pollution and lung disease

Seven million deaths annually are attributed to air pollution-related illnesses like COPD, lung cancer and respiratory infections. The Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS), calls on global leaders to intensify efforts to combat air pollution, a leading cause of lung disease and death worldwide.

24 Sep 2024

Inadequate staffing in surgical wards linked to adverse outcomes

A new paper in the British Journal of Surgery, published by Oxford University Press, shows that nursing shortages result in longer hospital stays and worse patient outcomes, including higher mortality.

24 Sep 2024

New model reveals mechanisms of lung injury from mechanical ventilation

For the first time, scientists are able to directly compare the different kinds of injury that mechanical ventilation causes to cells in the lungs.

19 Sep 2024

SwRI collaborates with UTSA to develop novel chemical process for synthesizing antibiotics

Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) is collaborating with The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) to explore and develop a novel platform or chemical process for synthesizing antibiotic compounds with a $125,000 grant.

17 Sep 2024

Monoclonal antibodies could help provide an answer to antimicrobial resistance

Monoclonal antibodies – treatments developed by cloning a cell that makes an antibody – could help provide an answer to the growing problem of antimicrobial resistance, say scientists.

16 Sep 2024

Telisotuzumab vedotin shows promising results in asian patients with c-Met overexpressing NSCLC

The c-Met-directed antibody-drug conjugate telisotuzumab vedotin demonstrated durable responses and an acceptable safety profile in patients of Asian race with c-Met protein-overexpressing, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) wildtype (WT), locally advanced/metastatic nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to research presented today at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer's 2024 World Conference on Lung Cancer.

11 Sep 2024