BMJ Best Practice Podcast Community acquired pneumonia
Sep 26, 2023
Dr Catia Cillóniz, Associate Professor of Pneumology, discusses the global burden of pneumonia, changes in its epidemiology, and the main pathogens. She also explores the challenges in diagnosis and management, the importance of considering patient factors, and comorbidities and prevention strategies, including vaccines.
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Global Pneumonia Burden
- Pneumonia is a leading infectious cause of death worldwide, exceeding HIV, diarrhea, and tuberculosis.
- In 2018, over 2 million people died from pneumonia.
Changing Epidemiology
- Two key epidemiological shifts in pneumonia include a rise in elderly patients needing ICU admission.
- There's also an increase in immunocompromised patients, requiring different management approaches.
Main Pathogens
- Streptococcus pneumoniae and respiratory viruses are the primary pneumonia pathogens, but their prevalence varies regionally.
- The USA reports more viral pneumonia due to decreased smoking and pneumococcal vaccination, unlike Europe.