Community-acquired pneumonia

Community-acquired pneumonia, abbreviated CAP, is pneumonia contracted by a person outside the healthcare system, in contrast to hospital-acquired pneumonia, which affects people in hospital or recently discharged. It is common, affects people of all ages and is a leading cause of illness and death worldwide. Symptoms arise when the oxygen-absorbing alveoli of the lung become colonized by a pathogenic microorganism, and the resulting inflammation fills them with fluid; common symptoms are shortness of breath, fever, chest pain and cough. Causes include bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. Per the Wikipedia lead, diagnosis rests on symptoms, examination and chest imaging, treatment follows the suspected organism, and vaccination can prevent some forms. This entry is a record, not medical advice.