Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs generally caused by bacteria and viruses. The most common bacterial cause of pneumonia is a type of bacteria called Streptococcus pneumoniae, while Influenza or the flu is the common viral cause of pneumonia. The estimated worldwide incidence of community-acquired pneumonia varies between 1.5 to 14 cases per 1000 person-years, and India accounts for 23 per cent of global pneumonia burden with case fatality rates between 14 and 30 per cent.
Common symptoms of pneumonia in adults include fever, chills, shortness of breath, chest pain during breathing, an increased heart and breathing rate, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and a cough that often produces green or yellow sputum. However, children can have different symptoms like dehydration, difficulty in breathing, refraining from eating properly, coughing, fever, irritability and may even vomit after coughing.
