Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lungs associated with different factors such as fever, chest symptoms and consolidation or interstitial lung infiltrates. This disease can be caused by different types of microorganisms and can range in seriousness from mild to life-threatening. Currently, over 3 million people develop pneumonia each year and it is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. In Europe, the annual cost is estimated to 10.1 billion euros and the incidence of the disease is 10.8/1000 people/year in Finland, 4.7/1000 in Great-Britain and 2.6/1000 in Spain.
There are different categories of pneumonia :
- Bacteria are the most common cause of community acquired pneumonia, with Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated in 50 % of cases,
- Viral pneumonia,
- Fungal pneumonia
| Main pathogens involved in Pneumonia | |
| Bacteria | Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Chlamydophila pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Moraxella catarrhalis, Legionella pneumophila. |
| Viruses | Rhinovirus, Coronavirus, Influenza virus, Respiratory Syncytial virus, Adenovirus, Pneumonia, Parainfluenza and Herpes Simplex virus. |
| Fungi | Histoplasma capsulatum, Blastomyces, Cryptococcus neoformans, Pneumocystis jiroveci and Coccidioides immitis. |
The most common pathogens responsible for Pneumonia