Causes of Pneumonia

October 06, 2008

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Causes of Pneumonia

by Lynn Cates, M.D., F.A.A.P.
reviewed by Laura Jana, M.D., F.A.A.P.

Although you probably are familiar with the fact that pneumonia can be caused by infection, the word pneumonia (or pneumonitis) actually refers to any kind of inflammation of the lungs. This inflammation is caused by the body's reaction to some irritant, usually an infectious agent or an inhaled chemical, and results in an accumulation of fluid and pus deep in the lungs.

Types of pneumonia
There are many kinds of pneumonia:

Infectious pneumonia (see below)

Walking pneumonia is pneumonia that is usually mild enough that the child does not have to stay in bed.

Double pneumonia is pneumonia that affects both lungs.

Foreign body aspiration pneumonia is caused by inhaling a small object like a peanut.

Allergic pneumonia (usually known as allergic pneumonitis) is triggered by various allergens.

Aspiration pneumonia is caused by breathing liquid, such as swimming pool water or vomit, into the lungs.

Chemical pneumonia is caused by inhalation of chemicals from the air, such as from a chlorine gas leak.

Infectious pneumonia
This is, by far, the most common type of pneumonia. In children, it often is so mild that it's mistaken for a bad cold or the flu and goes undiagnosed. In fact, both colds and the flu can lead to pneumonia. Most categories of organisms--including viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites--can cause pneumonia, but viral and bacterial causes are encountered most frequently

The overwhelming majority of viral pneumonia in children is caused by influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), parainfluenza, or adenovirus. Measles is an important cause of pneumonia in many developing countries and can cause severe, or even fatal, infection in any child who is not immunized.

Causes of bacterial pneumonia include Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococci), Haemophilus influenzae, Staphylococcus aureus (staph), pertussis (whooping cough), and streptococci. Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a common cause of walking pneumonia. Pneumocystis carinii is a type of pneumonia usually seen only in children with decreased host defenses (such as those on chemotherapy for cancer or with HIV/AIDS), although it can be found occasionally in otherwise healthy newborns.

Determining the cause of pneumonia is important to ensure that a child receives appropriate therapy. For example, antibiotics can work wonders in children with bacterial pneumonia, but they may cause only a temporary benefit, if any, after a peanut has been inhaled--in which case, the only cure is to remove the peanut.


RELATED INFORMATION

			Breathing and Respiratory
			Pneumonia

Created February 15, 2001
Reviewed March 30, 2001

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