Pneumonia

Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lungs. The term is almost always used to refer specifically to infections of the lungs caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi or other parasites; however, it can also refer to lung injury caused by physical or chemical irritants, in which case the term pneumonitis is used to differentiate the condition from infectious pneumonia. This article uses pneumonia only in the first sense, that of infection. Pneumonia may occur in people of all ages, although young children, the elderly, and immunocompromised patients are especially at risk. Antimicrobial drugs are often used to treat pneumonia.

Complications

• sepsis
• lung abscess or empyema
• pleural effusion, pleuritis
• acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), respiratory failure
• pneumothorax (rare)