- pneumococcus
Inflammation of the air sacs in one or both lungs constitutes pneumonia. The infection floods the air sac with fluid, rendering breathing ineffective. The air sac may be filled with fluid or pus, resulting in bloody or pus-stained coughing, chills, trouble breathing, and fever. Organisms such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses are capable of causing pneumonia. This condition may be benign or potentially fatal. In fact, each year in the United States alone, nearly one million people seek medical attention for pneumonia, and up to 50,000 people perish from the condition.
Other symptoms of pneumonia include fatigue, a body temperature below normal, particularly in individuals aged 65 and older, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. Newborns and infants may not exhibit severe symptoms such as bloody coughing, but they can regurgitate and experience fever and nausea. Children younger than 2 years of age and adults older than 65 years are more likely to contract pneumonia.
