MadSci Network: Medicine
Query:

Re: what is the name of the virus or bacteria that causes pneumonia?

Date: Sun Apr 23 05:39:12 2006
Posted By: Shantanu Amar, Medical student, Student, Tianjin Medical University
Area of science: Medicine
ID: 1134091678.Me
Message:

Dear Anne,

A pneumonia is an infection of the lungs. Pneumonias can be caused by a variety of pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, and even molds or certain parasites (less common in industrialized countries). There are many strains (types) of bacteria that cause Pneumonia... some of them include..

1. Community-acquired pneumonias (pneumonia contracted outside the hospital). Pneumonia in this setting can be caused by a virus (such as the influenza virus), it can also follows a viral respiratory infection, such as a common cold caused by a rhinovirus. These types of pneumonia affect millions of adults each year. Common bacterial causes of pneumonia include Streptococcus pneumoniae, the most common pneumonia-causing bacteria. Other organisms, that are called "atypical bacteria" (not as common), include species such as Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

2. Hospital-acquired pneumonia: A pneumonia that is contracted within the hospital is called nosocomial [no-so-co-me-all] pneumonia. Patients in hospital are generally ill to begin with, and are thus particularly vulnerable to other kinds of bacterial species including Klebsiella pneumoniae and staphylococci, which can be very dangerous.

Take Care
Shantanu


Current Queue | Current Queue for Medicine | Medicine archives

Try the links in the MadSci Library for more information on Medicine.



MadSci Home | Information | Search | Random Knowledge Generator | MadSci Archives | Mad Library | MAD Labs | MAD FAQs | Ask a ? | Join Us! | Help Support MadSci


MadSci Network, webadmin@madsci.org
© 1995-2006. All rights reserved.