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Pneumonia

Young girl with fever

Globally, pneumonia kills nearly 1 million children younger than 5 years old each year. This is more than the number of deaths from any infectious disease, such as HIV infection, malaria, or tuberculosis.

Pneumonia isn’t just a public health issue in developing countries. Each year in the United States, about 1 million people have to seek care in a hospital due to pneumonia, and about 50,000 people die from the disease. Most of the people affected by pneumonia in the United States are adults.

Many of these deaths—both globally and in the United States—could be prevented with vaccines and appropriate treatment (like antibiotics and antivirals).

Quiz

Key Facts

  • Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs that can cause mild to severe illness in people of all ages.
  • Pneumonia can be caused by viruses, bacteria, and fungi.
  • Common signs of pneumonia can include cough, fever, and trouble breathing.
  • The bacteria and viruses that commonly cause pneumonia in the community are different from those in the healthcare setting.
  • A common cause of bacterial pneumonia is Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus).

Media

  • Grandfather kissing grandson

    Certain people are more likely to become ill with pneumonia: adults 65 years or older; children younger than 5 years old; people who have underlying medical conditions (like asthma, diabetes or heart disease); and people who smoke cigarettes. Encourage friends and loved ones with certain health conditions, like diabetes and asthma, to get vaccinated.

  • Lab technician

    Pneumonia can be caused by viruses, bacteria, and fungi. In the United States, common causes of viral pneumonia are influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and a common cause of bacterial pneumonia is Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus). However, clinicians are not always able to find out which germ caused someone to get sick with pneumonia.

  • Woman placing wash cloth on head

    When someone develops pneumonia in the community (not in a hospital), it's called community-acquired pneumonia. Pneumonia developed during or following a stay in a healthcare facility (like hospitals, long-term care facilities, and dialysis centers) is called healthcare-associated pneumonia, which includes hospital-acquired pneumonia and ventilator-associated pneumonia.

  • Man sneezing into sleeve

    Try to stay away from sick people. If you are sick, stay away from others as much as possible to keep from getting them sick. You can also help prevent respiratory infections by: washing your hands regularly; cleaning surfaces that are touched a lot; coughing or sneezing into a tissue or into your elbow or sleeve; limiting contact with cigarette smoke; and treating and preventing conditions like diabetes.

Prevention Tips

  • Wash your hands regularly.
  • Clean surfaces that are touched a lot.
  • Cough or sneeze into a tissue or into your elbow or sleeve.
  • Limit contact with cigarette smoke.
  • Treat and prevent conditions like diabetes.
  • Get vaccinated. In the United States, there are vaccines that help prevent infection by some of the bacteria and viruses that can cause pneumonia.

More at CDC.gov

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