Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.
Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD
Dr. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently practices as a consultant and staff member for hospitals. He has a PhD in Microbiology (UT at Austin), and the MD (Univ. Texas Medical Branch, Galveston). He is a Clinical Professor (retired) in the Division of Emergency Medicine, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been the Chief of Emergency Medicine at UT Medical Branch and at UTHSCSA with over 250 publications.
- Pneumonia facts
- What is pneumonia?
- What are the different types of pneumonia?
- What causes pneumonia?
- What are risk factors for pneumonia?
- What are pneumonia symptoms and signs?
- How do doctors diagnose pneumonia?
- What is the treatment for pneumonia?
- What are complications of pneumonia?
- What is the prognosis of pneumonia?
- Is it possible to prevent pneumonia? Is there a pneumonia vaccine?
- Pneumonia FAQs
- Patient Comments: Pneumonia - Symptoms
- Patient Comments: Pneumonia - Treatment
- Find a local Internist in your town
- Pneumonia is inflammation of the airspaces in the lungs, most commonly due to an infection.
- Pneumonia may be caused by viruses, bacteria, or fungi.
- The most common bacterial type that causes pneumonia is Streptococcus pneumoniae.
- Signs and symptoms of pneumonia include fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, and fatigue.
- Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is acquired outside of the health-care setting and is typically less severe than hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP).
- About 20% of those with CAP require treatment in a hospital.
- Antibiotics treat pneumonia by controlling the bacterial or fungal infection. The initial choice of antibiotic depends on the organism presumed to be causing the infection as well as local patterns of antibiotic resistance.
- Pneumonia can be fatal in up to 30% of severe cases that are managed in the intensive-care setting.
- Complications of pneumonia include sepsis, pleural effusion, and empyema.
- Influenza is the most common viral cause of pneumonia.
- A chest X-ray is typically done to diagnose pneumonia.
- Risk factors for pneumonia include age over 65 or under 2, having certain chronic medical conditions (including underlying lung disease, cigarette smoking, alcoholism, and neurological problems), or sustaining injuries that interfere with swallowing or coughing.
Next: What is pneumonia?
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