Pneumonia

Young children who miss well-child visits are more likely to be hospitalized

Young children who missed more than half of recommended well-child visits had up to twice the risk of hospitalization compared to children who attended most of their visits, according to a study published today in the American Jo ...

Health created 21 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

WHO: Scientific red tape mars efforts vs. virus

International efforts to combat a new pneumonia-like virus that has now killed 22 people are being slowed by unclear rules and competition for the potentially profitable rights to disease samples, the head ...

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes created May 23, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Antibiotics: A new understanding of sulfonamide nervous system side effects

Since the discovery of Prontosil in 1932, sulfonamide antibiotics have been used to combat a wide spectrum of bacterial infections, from acne to chlamydia and pneumonia. However, their side effects can include serious neurological ...

Medical research created May 23, 2013 | popularity 3 / 5 (1) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Can you put a price on health?

As health services strive to improve quality and reduce costs, researchers study the benefits – and the pitfalls – of 'pay for performance' in hospitals.

Health created May 23, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Swine flu pandemic of 2009 more deadly for younger adults, study finds

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Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes created May 22, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

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HIV & AIDS created May 22, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Study finds new pneumococcal vaccine appears to be as safe as previously used vaccine

The new 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) appears to be as safe as the previous version used prior to 2010, the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7), according to a Kaiser Permanente study published ...

Medications created May 22, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Genetic variation among patients with pulmonary fibrosis associated with improved survival

Variation in the gene MUC5B among patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis was associated with improved survival, according to a study published online by JAMA. The study is being released early online to coincide with i ...

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes created May 21, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Antibiotic therapy appears beneficial for patients with COPD

Extended use of a common antibiotic may prolong the time between hospitalizations for patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a post-hoc analysis of a multicenter study which compared ...

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes created May 21, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Tunisia announces three cases of coronavirus, one death

A 66-year-old Tunisian man has died from the new coronavirus following a visit to Saudi Arabia and two of his adult children were infected with it, the Tunisian Health Ministry reported.

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes created May 21, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Resistance to last-line antibiotic makes bacteria resistant to immune system

Bacteria resistant to the antibiotic colistin are also commonly resistant to antimicrobial substances made by the human body, according to a study in mBio, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microb ...

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes created May 21, 2013 | popularity 4.5 / 5 (2) | comments 0

Prenatal exposure to traffic is associated with respiratory infection in young children

Living near a major roadway during the prenatal period is associated with an increased risk of respiratory infection developing in children by the age of 3, according to a new study from researchers in Boston.

Health created May 20, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Early childhood respiratory infections may explain link between analgesics and asthma

A new study conducted by Boston researchers reports that the link between asthma and early childhood use of acetaminophen or ibuprofen may be driven by underlying respiratory infections that prompt the use of these analgesics, ...

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes created May 20, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Tiny, implantable coil promises hope for emphysema patients

A small, easily implantable device called the Lung Volume Reduction Coil (LVRC) may play a key role in the treatment of two types of emphysema, according to a study conducted in Europe. Results of the study indicate the beneficial ...

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes created May 20, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Metabolic biomarkers can predict mortality in the ICU

A metabolic profile of intensive care unit (ICU) patients based on biomarkers of four metabolites can be used to accurately predict mortality, according to a new study.

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes created May 20, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0


Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs (alveoli)—associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space (consolidation) on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes. Infectious agents include: bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites.

Typical symptoms include cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. Diagnostic tools include x-rays and examination of the sputum. Vaccines to prevent certain types of pneumonia are available. Treatment depends on the underlying cause. Presumed bacterial pneumonia is treated with antibiotics.

Although pneumonia was regarded by William Osler in the 19th century as "the captain of the men of death", the advent of antibiotic therapy and vaccines in the 20th century have seen radical improvements in survival outcomes. Nevertheless, in the third world, and among the very old, the very young and the chronically ill, pneumonia remains a leading cause of death.

This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.

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