Pneumonia

This factsheet is for people who have pneumonia or for people who want information about pneumonia.

Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lungs, usually caused by an infection of the lung tissue by one of many different microorganisms (germs). It is very common in the UK - it affects around 1 in every 100 people each year. Babies and people over 65 most commonly get pneumonia and most infections occur in the autumn or winter.

Most types of pneumonia can usually be treated effectively with antibiotics. However it can also be a serious illness, especially for people who are elderly and frail or already ill.

Types of pnemonia -Pneumonia is often divided into two main categories ('community-acquired pneumonia' and 'hospital-acquired pneumonia') depending on ...

Causes of pneumonia -Pneumonia is not a single disease. It can have over 30 different causes. There are five main causes of pneumonia ...

Symptoms of penumonia -The main symptoms of pneumonia are ....

Pneumonia treatment -If the cause is bacterial, the goal of treatment is to cure the infection with antibiotics....

How prevent pneumonia -You usually don't "catch" pneumonia from someone else.....

self care -If you have pneumonia, the following measures can help you recover more quickly and decrease your risk of complications.....

When to seek medical advice -If you think you may have pneumonia, don't hesitate to get medical care. Serious pneumonia can be life-threatening. ...

Risk factors -The list of risk factors mentioned for Pneumonia in various sources includes....

Walking pneumonia -Walking pneumonia (a.k.a. mycoplasma pneumonia or atypical pneumonia) is a term used to describe a mild case of pneumonia.....