It is a serious illness that can affect people of any age, but it is most common and most dangerous in very young children, people older than 65, and people with underlying medical problems such as heart disease, diabetes, or chronic lung disease. If doctors suspect serious pneumococcal disease, like meningitis or bloodstream infections, they will collect samples of cerebrospinal fluid or fluid is fluid near the spinal cord. Your doctor will start by asking about your medical history and doing a physical exam, including listening to your lungs with a stethoscope to check for abnormal bubbling or crackling sounds that suggest pneumonia.
Pneumonia is the leading cause of infection-related deaths in the United States, with potential for severe complications such as respiratory failure and sepsis. SARS-CoV-2 emerged in 2019 and became pandemic in 2020 and is currently an especially pressing cause of pneumonia, COVID-19. Viruses are the most common causes of acute respiratory infections, and causative agents of lower respiratory tract infection vary according to patient age and immunity.