Pneumonia is a common disease of the lungs. Around 3 million people in the United States alone are diagnosed with pneumonia each year and most of them require hospitalization and medical treatment. Pneumonia can be developed by anyone, although it is mostly common in small children, teenagers and elderly people. People with special conditions are also very exposed to developing pneumonia: people with weak immune system, people with internal disorders (cirrhosis, kidney problems), people with chronic pulmonary obstructive diseases (bronchitis), people who receive cancer treatments or people who have suffered surgical interventions.
Pneumonia is not always an infectious disease. Sometimes the inflammation of the lungs is caused by inhalation of foreign matters: fluids, irritants, chemicals. However, pneumonia usually involves infection with bacteria, viruses or mycoplasmas. Typical pneumonia is caused by infection with common bacteria and viruses. Atypical pneumonia is caused by infection with mycoplasmas. Mycoplasmas are very small organisms that resemble both viruses and bacterias. These infectious agents are responsible for causing walking pneumonia, which is usually a...