What age group is pneumonia most common in?

Take good care of medical conditions (like asthma, diabetes, or heart disease). Certain people are more likely to become ill with pneumonia: adults 65 years or older; children younger than 5 years old; people who have ongoing medical conditions (like asthma, diabetes or heart disease); and people who smoke cigarettes.


Is pneumonia more common in children or adults?

Children get pneumonia more frequently than adults. Not only is their immune system not yet fully developed, but germs such as bacteria and viruses spread very quickly from child to child, especially between the ages of three and six years. That is why infections are generally very common in children.

Can you get pneumonia in your 20s?

Pneumonia can affect people of any age, but it's more common, and can be more serious, in certain groups of people, such as the very young or the elderly. People in these groups are more likely to need hospital treatment if they develop pneumonia.


Who is at risk for pneumonia?

Babies and children, 2 years old or younger, are at higher risk because their immune systems are still developing. This risk is higher for premature babies. Older adults, age 65 or older, are also at higher risk because their immune systems generally weaken as people age.

Where is pneumonia most common?

Pneumonia affects children and families everywhere, but deaths are highest in southern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.


"Pneumonia" by Brian Fissel and Dr. Patricia Stoeck



What are the 3 major causes of pneumonia?

Causes of Pneumonia
  • Influenza viruses.
  • Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
  • SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19)


How can a person catch pneumonia?

Pneumonia is mostly spread when people infected cough, sneeze or talk, sending respiratory droplets into the air. These droplets can then be inhaled by close contacts. Less often, you can get pneumonia from touching an object or surface that has the germ on it and then touching your nose or mouth.

What are the first warning signs of pneumonia?

Early symptoms are similar to influenza symptoms: fever, a dry cough, headache, muscle pain, and weakness. Within a day or two, the symptoms typically get worse, with increasing cough, shortness of breath and muscle pain. There may be a high fever and there may be blueness of the lips.


Which vaccine prevent pneumonia?

Prevnar 13®: Doctors give this vaccine to children at 2, 4, 6, and 12 through 15 months old and to older children who need it. The vaccine helps protect against 13 types of pneumococcal bacteria that can cause serious infections in children and adults.

How can you prevent pneumonia?

Get Vaccinated

Get a flu shot every year to prevent seasonal influenza. The flu is a common cause of pneumonia, so preventing the flu is a good way to prevent pneumonia. Certain people should get vaccinated against pneumococcal pneumonia, a common form of bacterial pneumonia including: Children younger than 2.

When should you suspect pneumonia?

See your doctor if you have difficulty breathing, chest pain, persistent fever of 102 F (39 C) or higher, or persistent cough, especially if you're coughing up pus. It's especially important that people in these high-risk groups see a doctor: Adults older than age 65.


When should I be worried about pneumonia?

Often pneumonia starts as a cough with fever or chills, and more severe cases can lead to breathing issues and admission to the hospital. Some people can even have chest pain that occurs when they cough or take a deep breath.

What pneumonia feels like?

Symptoms of pneumonia

a cough – which may be dry, or produce thick yellow, green, brown or blood-stained mucus (phlegm) difficulty breathing – your breathing may be rapid and shallow, and you may feel breathless, even when resting. rapid heartbeat. fever.

Do healthy adults get pneumonia?

Anyone can get pneumonia, but some people are more at risk than others. Learn about causes and symptoms of pneumonia, how pneumonia is treated, ways to prevent pneumonia and more in this section. Pneumonia is a common lung infection caused by germs, such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi.


How common is pneumonia in adults?

4. For US adults, pneumonia is the most common cause of hospital admissions other than women giving birth. About 1 million adults in the US seek care in a hospital due to pneumonia every year, and 50,000 die from this disease.

Do kids get pneumonia easily?

Children under the age of 2 are at highest risk for pneumonia. Almost everyone fully recovers with proper medical care. Pneumonia caused by a virus is often less severe than when caused by bacteria. The symptoms usually start out like the flu.

Can I still get pneumonia if I have been vaccinated?

A vaccine can help lower your chance of contracting pneumonia. While the pneumonia vaccine does not prevent all cases of pneumonia, it reduces the severity of the disease. That is especially important for older adults and if you have certain medical conditions that put you at greater risk for complications.


How many years is a pneumonia shot good for?

Depending on which shots you received and when you got them, it may be a good idea to receive a booster after five years.

Is pneumonia vaccine for life?

The pneumonia shot is a vaccine that helps protect you against pneumococcal disease, or diseases caused by bacteria known as Streptococcus pneumoniae. The vaccine can help protect you from pneumococcal disease for many years.

What hurts with pneumonia?

Chest pain is one of the most common symptoms of pneumonia. Chest pain is caused by the membranes in the lungs filling with fluid. This creates pain that can feel like a heaviness or stabbing sensation and usually worsens with coughing, breathing or laughing.


What is the stage before pneumonia?

Stage 1: Congestion

During the congestion phase, the lungs become very heavy and congested due to infectious fluid that has accumulated in the air sacs. During this stage, your older loved one may experience early pneumonia symptoms such as: Coughing. A feeling of heaviness in the chest.

How do I know if I have pneumonia or a virus?

Often viral cases of pneumonia begin as congestion and cough with or without fever in the first few days. When a doctor listens to the lungs and finds breathing sounds are not clear on either side of the chest, a viral cause over bacterial is even more highly suspected.

Can you get pneumonia from being in bed?

Spending long periods in bed does not cause pneumonia, but it does increase the risk. People who spend their days lying down without moving are likely to suffer from blood pooling, shallow breathing, decreased lung volume, weakened muscles, and mucus buildup.


How likely are you to catch pneumonia?

While anyone can catch pneumonia, some people are more likely to come down with illness when coming into contact with the germs. Like many other illnesses, pneumonia is caught through contact with the bacteria or virus that causes pneumonia. Coughing and sneezing are the most common ways these germs spread.

Can you have pneumonia and not know it?

You can get pneumonia in one or both lungs. You can also have it and not know it. Doctors call this walking pneumonia. Causes include bacteria, viruses, and fungi.