Each year, about 1.5 million adults in the United States are diagnosed withpneumonia.
Adults aren’t the only ones at risk, either.
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Pneumonia Overview
Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs that causes severe inflammation.
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These infections can be due to:
The most common culprit is a bacteria calledStreptococcus pneumoniae(pneumococcus).
Commonsymptoms of pneumoniacan include:
How Common Is Pneumonia?
Pneumonia is less fatal for children in the United States than in other parts of the world.
What Are the Mortality Rates for Pneumonia?
A mortality rate is a number that represents the frequency of death due to a specific cause or situation.
Prevention is the best medicine.
These infections can lead to severe inflammation and other complications.
However, anyone can get pneumonia and become severely ill.
The pneumonia vaccine is highly recommended for people of certain ages or with certain medical conditions.
Talk to your doctor about vaccination against pneumonia and which vaccine is right for you.
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