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Pneumonia Prevention Measure

Pneumonia is a serious infection and/or inflammation of the lungs. The air sacs in the lungs fill with pus and other liquid, and oxygen has trouble reaching the blood. When oxygen is limited in the bloodstream, body cells cannot work properly. When this process occurs, in addition to the spread of infection in the body; pneumonia can cause death. 

Pneumonia can be caused by over 30 different reasons. However, there are five main causes of pneumonia:

  • Bacteria

  • Viruses

  • Mycoplasmas (mycoplasmas are the smallest free-living agents of disease in humankind, not classified as bacteria or viruses, but having characteristics of both.)

  • Other infectious agents, such as fungi

  • Exposure to various chemicals

Hospital admission for pneumonia is not a measure of hospital quality, but rather one way to measure outpatient care of pneumonia. Proper outpatient treatment of pneumonia may decrease the likelihood of hospital admission for pneumonia.


  |  ©2007 Colorado Hospital Report Card