What Does Pneumonia Mean?
Pneumonia is a disease characterized by infection of the lungs. There are many different causes of this respiratory condition including bacteria, viruses, fluid build-up and fungus. The presence of infection in one or both lungs is the commonality between these causes. Pneumonia can affect people of any age. Pneumonia may be difficult to detect. A physician will usually conduct a physical examination and may order further tests, such as a chest X-ray or blood test, to diagnose the condition.
WorkplaceTesting Explains Pneumonia
Pneumonia is responsible for millions of illnesses annually. In the United States alone, over 50,000 die from pneumonia each year. Worldwide, over 1 million children under the age of 5 die from this disease. Bacterial pneumonia is the most common cause of this illness in adults. Other causes include the inhalation of fluids (aspiration pneumonia) or ventilator use (ventilator-associated pneumonia). The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza are common viral precursors of pneumonia. The treatment for pneumonia is dependent on the cause. Antibiotics may be used to treat bacterial pneumonia but viral pneumonia may require antiviral treatment. Only in severe cases is hospitalization required.
