For recognized or unrecognized reasons, there may be changes in the actual incidence of a disease. Healthcare-associated pneumonia (HCAP) is developed during or after a stay in a healthcare facility (hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, etc.). What are the Three Major Causes of Pneumonia? - MedicineNet 2020;31:101267. doi:10.1016/j.rmcr.2020.101267, Park CM, Kim W, Rhim HC, et al. Evaluation by transtracheal aspiration, blood culture, or serology, Evaluation of PCR as rapid microbiological method in diagnosis of pneumococcal pneumonia. Symptoms from pneumonia can range from mild to severe. As treatment duration for neonatal pneumonia is based on sparse evidence , and short course antibiotic therapy appears to be effective in children and adults for community-acquired pneumonia [18 . Pneumonia treatment and recovery. -. Dorff GJ, Rytel MW, Farmer SG, Scanlon G. Etiologies and characteristic features of pneumonias in a municipal hospital. Also, the common cold may lead to pneumonia. The flu virus is a common cause of viral pneumonia in adults, which tends to be more serious in people with heart or lung disease, senior citizens, and pregnant women. Walking Pneumonia: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment | US News Please enable it to take advantage of the complete set of features! Other symptoms of this condition include: chest pain. These permissions are granted for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic or until permissions are revoked in writing. Pneumonia: How to Tell the Difference. Pneumococcal disease: Prevention. Routine use of PCR for Mycoplasma and Chlamydia confirmed [132] that these organisms are very uncommon causes of CAP leading to hospitalization of adults, suggesting that serologic tests have contributed to marked overdiagnosis. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 47,000 people died from pneumonia in the United States in 2020. You can be exposed to the germs that cause pneumonia in your surroundings, or another person can spread the germ that causes a pneumonia infection. ; Influenza A (H1N1) Study Group of the Spanish Network for Research in Infectious Diseases (REIPI), Community-acquired pneumonia during the first post-pandemic influenza season: a prospective, multicentre cohort study, Mortality risk and etiologic spectrum of community-acquired pneumonia in hospitalized adult patients, Aetiology and risk factors of community-acquired pneumonia in hospitalized patients in Norway. Common symptoms of pneumonia may include: Bacteria, viruses, and fungi cause different types of pneumonia. Pneumonia is the infection and inflammation of air sacs in your lungs. Careers. shaking chills, or rigors. Lim et al [123] reported an etiologic agent in 75% of cases, including pneumococcus in 48% and atypical organisms, principally Chlamydia and Mycoplasma, in 18%. 2023 Jun 8;23(1):200. doi: 10.1186/s12890-023-02497-2. Also, people exposed to large doses of certain fungi from contaminated soil or bird droppings may develop fungal pneumonia. Older adults were largely unaffected [83, 84], an observation that later came to be overlooked when diagnosis began to rely on serologic techniques. About 20% of people with pneumonia will need to be hospitalized. Some people feel better in a week, but it may take over a month for others to recover. Our website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Mothes A, Lotard S, Nicolle I, Smets A, Chirio D, Rotomondo C, Tiger F, Del Giudice P, Perrin C, Nri D, Foucault C, Della Guardia M, Hyvernat H, Roger PM; Rseau Infectio-PACA-Est. Tests to detect antigens of S. pneumoniae and Legionella in urine reliably increased recognition of the role played by these agents [67, 113117]. Aspiration pneumonia occurs when foreign material, such as food, "goes down the wrong pipe" and ends up in the lung. The flu (influenza virus) and the common cold (rhinovirus) are the most common causes of viral pneumonia in adults. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, toddlers and infants may cry more than usual . In 1898 Veillon implicated anaerobic bacteria in lung infection [87]; their importance as the most common agents in lung abscess was subsequently emphasized by Smith [88] and confirmed by Cohen [89]. American Lung Association. But it can affect people of any age. For permissions, e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com. Logroscino CD, Penza O, Locicero S et al.. Community-acquired pneumonia in adults: a multicentric observational AIPO study, Clinical and bacteriological study of 2000 typed cases of lobar pneumonia, Acute pulmonary infections, Delamar Lectures, Pneumonia with special reference to pneumococcus lobar pneumonia, Predominant role of bacterial pneumonia as a cause of death in pandemic influenza: implications for pandemic influenza preparedness, Recovery of new agent from patients with acute respiratory illness, An acute infection of the respiratory tract with atypical pneumonia. National Library of Medicine. Pneumonia: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment - Cleveland Clinic Confusion or changes in mental awareness (in adults age 65 and older) Cough, which may produce phlegm. 8600 Rockville Pike eCollection 2023 Mar. Kumar ST, Yassin A, Bhowmick T, Dixit D. Recommendations from the 2016 guidelines for the management of adults with hospital-acquired or ventilator-associated pneumonia. Pneumonia can be a scary diagnosis, especially for an older person. A disease entity probably caused by a filterable virus. An official website of the United States government. Generally, mild cases of viral pneumonia usually subside with rest and fluids. New York: Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research, 1917. Int J Mol Sci. The immune system's reaction to this infection causes the lung's air sacs to fill with pus and fluids. tiredness. RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) | CDC 2018;16(6):355-367. doi:10.1038/s41579-018-0001-8. Pneumococcus has continued to decline; at present, this organism is identified in fewer than fewer10%15% of cases. See Supplementary Material for details. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Accessibility How long does pneumonia last in older adults? Pneumonia - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic Pneumonia, at first called the special enemy of old age [1] by Osler and later, by a more mature Osler, the friend of the aged [2], has long been with humankind and shows little likelihood of going away. Streptococcus pneumoniae: This is by far the most common type of bacteria responsible for community-acquired bacterial pneumonia in the United States. 8th ed. Pneumonia vaccination. Dowell SF, Anderson LJ, Gary HE Jr et al.. Respiratory syncytial virus is an important cause of community-acquired lower respiratory infection among hospitalized adults, Respiratory viral infections in immunocompetent and immunocompromised persons. Cecil RL, Larsen NP. Pneumonia is a type of infection that affects your lungs. Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, 5 Albrich et al [138] used a quantitative PCR on nasopharyngeal swabs to detect pneumococcal lytA in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)infected South African patients with pneumonia. Etiology of Community-Acquired Pneumonia, Studies Since 2010. This causes your lungs to swell and leak fluids. Many bacteria, viruses and fungi can cause the infections that lead to pneumonia. Influenza viruses. Pneumonia can cause inflammation and increased lung mucus, making it hard for oxygen to enter the blood. Hepatitis A(hep A) - The hep A virus can cause liver failure. Keywords: A quantitative, multiplex PCR detects 40 pneumococcal serotypes [139] but has yet to be studied as a diagnostic tool for CAP. Coughing is an important way for the body to clear out the germs causing pneumonia and the mucus that develops. Clinical features predicting failure of pathogen identification in patients with community acquired pneumonia, Huijts SM, Boersma WG, Grobbee DE et al. Viral pneumonia. Renee Nilan, MD, is an emergency medicine physician based in southeast Michigan. Changes in alertness or mental ability (new or worse confusion) can be a sign of illness or infection in older people. In adults, the influenza virus and SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, are among the main causes of pneumonia. Clin Infect Dis. Therefore, a new set of antigens needs to be studied and the method validated before it will provide useful information in the future. Pneumonia can be preventedvaccines can help. However, frequently recurring infections can also be a sign of an underlying medical condition. Also, people exposed to large doses of certain fungi from contaminated soil or bird droppings may develop fungal pneumonia. Diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia: experience at a community hospital, New and emerging etiologies for community-acquired pneumonia with implications for therapy. Am Fam Physician. CAP is estimated to cause over 1 million hospital admissions each year. Older adults hospitalized for pneumonia in the united states: incidence, epidemiology, and outcomes, Adults hospitalized with pneumonia in the united states: incidence, epidemiology, and mortality, Recommendations from the 2016 guidelines for the management of adults with hospital-acquired or ventilator-associated pneumonia, Multistate point-prevalence survey of health careassociated infections, Pneumonitis and pneumonia after aspiration, Severe pneumonia in the elderly: a multivariate analysis of risk factors, Overview of community-acquired pneumonia in adults, Community-acquired pneumonia in adults: diagnosis and management, Advising patients to increase fluid intake for treating acute respiratory infections, Humidifier lung induced by endotoxin and various pathogens: Characteristic differences from other phenotypes of hypersensitivity pneumonitis, Frailty and hospitalization-associated disability after pneumonia: A prospective cohort study, Burden of community-acquired pneumonia and unmet clinical needs, Chest pain (may worsen with a deep breath or cough). It varies. Bacterial pneumonia can develop on its own or after you have a cold or the flu. It can affect one or both lungs. Pneumonia can be preventedvaccines can help, Streptococcus pneumoniae: transmission, colonization and invasion, Pneumococcal disease: Symptoms and complications, Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP), caused by the fungus, Valley fever or coccidioidomycosis, caused by the. Treating your symptoms is essential if you're experiencing typical signs of pneumonia, fever, chills, cough, and shortness of breath. The symptoms of bacterial pneumonia may include: very high fever. Haemophilus from 26 of these patients was nontypable; only 1 of these had associated bacteremia. MeSH Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs that can be caused by viruses, bacteria, and fungi. For both figures, the year is the reported (or estimated) midyear of investigation (see Supplementary Material for details). In rarer cases, pneumonia can be caused by inhaling fluid into the lungs, or from a fungal infection. There are different types of pneumonia. What Causes Pneumonia in the Older Population? Community-acquired pneumonia and positive urinary antigen tests: Factors associated with targeted antibiotic therapy. Pneumonia Symptoms in Older Adults. Clinical patterns of undifferentiated and other acute respiratory diseases in Army recruits, Recherches sur quelques microbes strictement anaerobies et leur role en pathologie, Fusospirochetal disease of the lungs, its bacteriology, pathology and experimental reproduction, The bacteriology of abscess of the lung and methods for its study, Anaerobic bacterial infections of the lung and pleural space, Transtracheal aspiration in the evaluation of patients with pneumonia, Etiologic diagnosis of lower respiratory tract infections, Percutaneous transtracheal aspiration in the diagnosis of anaerobic pulmonary infection, Transtracheal aspiration in pulmonary infection, The diagnostic value of sputum culture in acute pneumonia, Anaerobic bacterial infections of the lung, Diagnostic accuracy of transtracheal aspiration bacteriologic studies, Legionnaires disease: description of an epidemic of pneumonia. The most common symptoms of pneumonia are: cough can be dry or may produce thick mucus (cough can last for several weeks after pneumonia has been treated successfully) fever (a temperature of 38C or higher), sweating and shivering though in older people it can cause lower than normal body temperature. Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs that causes inflammation and fluid buildup in the alveoli, which are tiny air sacs in your lungs. White RJ, Blainey AD, Harrison KJ, Clarke SK. RSV vaccine for older adults approved by UK medicines regulator Pneumonia Symptoms and Causes - Everyday Health Older adults are often at higher risk for pneumonia, and the infection may be more severe than it would be for younger people. Is it different in the elderly? Rosn B, Fernndez-Sab N, Carratal J et al.. Of 259 patients admitted from the emergency department with CAP, 44 (17%) were thought to be uninfected, an observation with important implications for reconciling quality improvement measures that relate to promptness of antibiotic therapy. These findings have important implications for comparing results of CAP studies or following guidelines for management written on either side of the Atlantic. Pneumonia is often more severe in older adults. ; CAP Diagnostics Investigators, Predicting pneumococcal community-acquired pneumonia in the emergency department: evaluation of clinical parameters. Lobar pneumonia affects one or more sections (lobes) of the lungs. Bonten MJ, Huijts SM, Bolkenbaas M et al.. Polysaccharide conjugate vaccine against pneumococcal pneumonia in adults. Diagnosis of pneumococcal pneumonia by antigen detection in sputum, The value of the sputum grams stain in community-acquired pneumonia, Management of pneumonia in the prospective payment era. government site. Fatigue. Our literature search revealed no pneumonia studies reporting the etiologic spectrum from 1947 through 1964. shortness of breath . What causes pneumonia?. "It used to be thought that the lungs were a sterile environment, devoid of bacteria. However, these and other nonstandardized techniques may also lead to overdiagnosis [120], and further validation is required before they can be used in diagnosis. Additionally, their temperature may be lower than average versus having a fever. Learn about common symptoms, causes, treatment, and prevention. Departments of Medicine and Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, 2 Contribution of a urinary antigen assay (Binax NOW) to the early diagnosis of pneumococcal pneumonia. All authors have submitted the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest. The references of included studies were also searched for candidate articles. Further development of anaerobic bacteriology by Bartlett, Gorbach, and Finegold [90], together with the use of transtracheal aspiration, showed the importance of these organisms as a cause of pneumonia, especially in patients whose lifestyle suggested aspiration and who presented with a subacute syndrome of respiratory infection characterized by putrid sputum, lung abscess, and/or empyema. SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and the influenza virus are the most common cause of viral pneumonia in adults. Recurrent Respiratory Infections in Adults - Verywell Health The site is secure. National Library of Medicine. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. An 11-year prospective study. The .gov means its official. This technique appears to be either overly sensitive or nonspecific since 2 or more bacterial pathogens were found in 32% of cases and Moraxella was found in 14%. The main causes of pneumonia are bacteria, fungi, parasites, or viruses. Therefore, your risk of pneumonia as a complication of the flu also lowers. American Lung Association. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If your oxygen levels are low, you may be provided oxygen therapy. To our knowledge, this work has not been validated in a study from a developed country. First ed Edinburgh & London: Young J. Pentland, 1892. Arnold FW, Reyes Vega AM, Salunkhe V, et al. People at high risk include: babies; adults aged over 65 Follow any directions from your provider about cutting down your activity level, taking time off from exercise, or otherwise adapting your physical stress. American Lung Association. 2017;65(11):1806-1812. doi:10.1093/cid/cix647. Patient education: Pneumonia in adults (Beyond the Basics) New York and London: D. Appleton and Company, 1914. Despite its prevalence and importancepneumonia affects about 2% of all elderly persons each year [3]and despite newly available techniques for diagnosis, at the present time and in the majority of cases, the causative organism(s) remain(s) uncertain. The incidence of legionella pneumonia: a 1-year prospective study in a large community hospital, Kothe H, Bauer T, Marre R, Suttorp N, Welte T, Dalhoff K; Competence Network for Community-Acquired Pneumonia Study Group, Outcome of community-acquired pneumonia: influence of age, residence status and antimicrobial treatment. Experts explain what's most likely to cause pneumoniaand ways you can avoid getting the lung infection. Boersma WG, Lwenberg A, Holloway Y, Kuttschrtter H, Snijder JA, Koter GH. Our findings have important implications for antibiotic stewardship and should be considered as new policies for empiric pneumonia management are developed. COVID pneumonia is a lung infection caused by SARS CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Still, you're more likely to get pneumonia if you smoke or have underlying health conditions like diabetes or heart disease. Recovery from pneumonia varies from person to person. It typically causes a mild chest infection, but it can cause life-threatening illness, such as pneumonia and brain swelling. Advising patients to increase fluid intake for treating acute respiratory infections. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Osler W. The Principles and Practice of Medicine: Designed for the Use of Practitioners and Students of Medicine. As a library, NLM provides access to scientific literature. Unauthorized use of these marks is strictly prohibited. Lung. In the preantibiotic era, S. pneumoniae caused approximately 90% of all cases of pneumonia [4, 7274] (Figure 1A). N Engl J Med 2013; 369:15563. Viruses are found in 25% of patients, up to one-third of these have bacterial coinfection. This leads to . Appointments & Locations Request an Appointment Appointments | 216.444.6503 Symptoms and Causes Diagnosis and Tests Management and Treatment The Community-based Pneumonia Incidence Study Group, Processes and outcomes of care for patients with community-acquired pneumonia: results from the Pneumonia Patient Outcomes Research Team (PORT) cohort study, Park DR, Sherbin VL, Goodman MS et al. Pneumonia is an infection of one or both of the lungs caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi. What Is PhlegmAnd How Can You Get Rid of It? Here, we document the declining role of S. pneumoniae and the increasing recognition of other pathogens in the etiology of community acquired pneumonia (CAP) in adults. Viruses that infect the upper respiratory tract may also cause pneumonia. After 2000, new techniques greatly increased the ability to identify respiratory pathogens. Respiratory syncytial (sin-SISH-ul) virus can also infect adults. Causes of pneumonia presenting to a district general hospital. Causes of pneumonia. Those bacteria, which are usually difficult to detect using standard methods, include: Usually, a healthcare provider will treat bacterial pneumonia with oral antibiotics. A serotype-specific urinary ELISA increases the diagnostic yield for pneumococcus by 15%20% [135]. American Thoracic Society. They are congestion, red hepatization, gray hepatization, and resolution. National Library of Medicine Contact your healthcare provider if: Seek medical care immediately if you have difficulty breathing, severe chest pain, your fingertips or lips develop a blueish color, or you begin coughing up blood. Any substance can be aspirated, but common types include: Regardless of the type of pneumonia, it can be life-threatening, especially for older people. A, Frequency of Streptococcus pneumoniae as a cause of community-acquired pneumonia, United States/Canada. Pneumococcal capsular antigen detection and pneumococcal serology in patients with community acquired pneumonia, Aetiology of community-acquired pneumonia: a prospective study among adults requiring admission to hospital. Pneumonia is a respiratory infection that ranges from mild to severe. After 1950, the proportion of pneumonia caused by pneumococcus began to decline. In the preantibiotic era, no antibiotic would have interfered with a bacteriologic diagnosis, and, compared to current practice, clinicians made greater efforts to obtain sputum samples for culture. Read our. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Griffin MR, Zhu Y, Moore MR, Whitney CG, Grijalva CG. People older than 65 are far more likely to develop CAP than younger people. Our present study shows a marked decline in the frequency with which pneumococcus causes pneumonia in the United States/Canada but no such decline in Europe (Figure 1B). No cause was found in one-third of cases. Falguera M, Carratal J, Ruiz-Gonzalez A et al.. Risk factors and outcome of community-acquired pneumonia due to gram-negative bacilli, Microbial aetiology of community-acquired pneumonia and its relation to severity, Current and potential usefulness of pneumococcal urinary antigen detection in hospitalized patients with community-acquired pneumonia to guide antimicrobial therapy, Capelastegui A, Espaa PP, Bilbao A et al. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Such patients are generally not hospitalized and would not have been included in the VA study or the EPIC study. Chlamydia pneumoniae: Causes, How It Spreads, and Risk Factors | CDC Be sure you understand what treatments are recommended for you and why you should complete them. Med Mal Infect. All authors: No reported conflicts of interest. Health.com uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. During World War II, an Armed Forces Commission, established to investigate outbreaks of pneumonia in military forces, identified the following 4 kinds of pneumonia: pneumococcal, mycoplasmal, influenzal, and acute respiratory disease of recruits, later shown to be adenoviral [85]. New York and London: D. Appleton and Company. Aspiration pneumonia is pneumonia that is caused by something other than air being inhaled (aspirated) into your respiratory tract. Germs called bacteria, viruses, and fungi may cause pneumonia. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Viral Pneumonia: Causes, Symptoms, and Diagnosis - Healthline Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. Lorente ML, Falguera M, Nogus A, Gonzlez AR, Merino MT, Caballero MR. Read our, What To Know About Double PneumoniaAn Infection in Both Lungs, What Is Aspiration Pneumonia? BMC Geriatr. Acute lobar pneumonia: prevention and serum treatment. About 58% of patients with no identifiable cause stratified to likely bacterial disease and 15% to likely viral disease; 27% could not be categorized. Disclaimer. During the same period, a greater proportion of cases have been attributed to pneumococcus in Europe than in the United States (Table 2). The investigators defined a likely bacterial pneumonia as 3 or more of the following: hyperacute presentation; septic shock; white blood cell count >15000 or <6000 with increased band forms; dense segmental or lobar consolidation; absence of upper respiratory symptoms; biphasic illness with upper respiratory symptoms followed by a sudden deterioration; or an elevated procalcitonin level. Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs that can range from mild to severe. Aspiration Pneumonia: Overview, Causes, and Symptoms - Healthline a cough with blood or mucus. Talk with your healthcare provider about ways to prevent pneumonia, especially as you get older. After 1950, the proportion of pneumonia caused by pneumococcus began to decline. A PubMed search of the English-language literature through December 2015 was performed using the following search term: (pneumonia[title]) AND (etiolog* OR aetiolog* OR cause OR microbiolog* OR Streptococcus pneumoniae[Mesh] OR bacteria OR culture*) NOT (children OR infant* OR pediatric* OR randomized OR nosocomial[title] OR organizing[title] OR interstitial[title] OR healthcare[title] OR ventilator[title] OR Case Reports[ptyp]). Understanding the dying process and signs of impending death may help you know that the end is near. CAP is more common during the winter months, in older adults. Lim WS, Macfarlane JT, Boswell TC et al.. Study of community acquired pneumonia aetiology (SCAPA) in adults admitted to hospital: implications for management guidelines. Ishida T, Hashimoto T, Arita M, Tojo Y, Tachibana H, Jinnai M. A 3-year prospective study of a urinary antigen-detection test for. Chest pain when you breathe or cough. Check with your medical provider before using any cough medications. Pneumonia - NHS Pneumonia - causes, symptoms and treatments | healthdirect Johansson N, Kalin M, Tiveljung-Lindell A, Giske CG, Hedlund J. Etiology of community-acquired pneumonia: increased microbiological yield with new diagnostic methods. In adults, bacteria are the most common cause of pneumonia. Results of a population-based active surveillance study in Ohio. Pneumonia, at first called "the special enemy of old age" [] by Osler and later, by a more mature Osler, "the friend of the aged" [], has long been with humankind and shows little likelihood of going away.In the preantibiotic era, Streptococcus pneumoniae was the overwhelmingly predominant cause of pneumonia, but this is clearly no longer the case. Bookshelf Viral pneumonia is a complication of the viruses that cause colds and the. HCAP is typically any pneumonia that occurs 48 hours or more after hospital admission. Miller J, Sande MA, Gwaltney JM Jr, Hendley JO. Boulware DR, Daley CL, Merrifield C, Hopewell PC, Janoff EN. Other viral pneumonia treatments usually involve using an antiviral treatment like Tamiflu (oseltamivir) or remdesivir. Causes of pneumonia. In addition toStreptococcuspneumoniae, other bacteria known to cause bacterial pneumonia include: Also, some bacteria cause what's known as "atypical pneumonia." You have started antibiotics and do not feel better after three days. The virus typically causes cold-like symptoms, but is a leading cause of pneumonia in infants and elderly people, with infections in older adults accounting for about 8,000 deaths, 14,000 . Treatment includes antibiotics and over-the-counter medicines. The .gov means its official. Still, healthcare providers "don't really see fungal pneumonia in people with normal immune systems,"Nicola Hanania, MD, a pulmonologist at the Baylor College of Medicine, toldHealth. Speak with your healthcare provider about which one or combination may be right for you. 2023 Jul 3;24(13):11038. doi: 10.3390/ijms241311038. Chanock RM, Mufson MA, Bloom HH, James WD, Fox HH, Kingston JR. Serological and epidemiological studies on primary atypical pneumonia and related acute upper respiratory disease. Weiser JN, Ferreira DM, Paton JC. Snijders D, Daniels JM, de Graaff CS, van der Werf TS, Boersma WG. Moore MA, Merson MH, Charache P, Shepard RH. A need for more clinician and support service interaction. Your healthcare provider may use a combination of tests to help determine if you have pneumonia, including: It is recommended that people 65 years and older see their healthcare provider for symptoms that might be pneumonia. In the preantibiotic era, Streptococcus pneumoniae was the overwhelmingly predominant cause of pneumonia, but this is clearly no longer the case. Avery OT, Chickering HT, Cole R, Dochez AR. Epidemiology of community-acquired pneumonia in adult patients at the dawn of the 21st century: a prospective study on the Mediterranean coast of Spain, Impact of rapid urine antigen tests to determine the etiology of community-acquired pneumonia in adults. Ways you can get pneumonia include: Bacteria and viruses living in your nose, sinuses, or mouth may spread to your lungs. And if your symptoms do not improve with treatment or become severe, it's essential to consult a healthcare provider. As . Afr J Med Med Sci. Our findings have important implications for antibiotic stewardship and should be considered as new policies for empiric pneumonia management are developed.