Pneumonia and Bronchitis

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Home > Diseases & Conditions > Pneumonia and Bronchitis

Causes

Pneumonia

Major causes of pneumonia include:

Mycoplasmas: the smallest free-living organisms that cause disease
Viruses
Bacteria: Streptococcus, or strep throat, is the most common cause of bacterial pneumonia

Other causes:

Pneumocystis carinii, a fungus that causes pneumonia in many people with AIDS
Inhaled food, liquid, gases, dust or fungi
Spirochete: causes Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Q fever and typhus, which may all affect the lungs
Tuberculosis

Bronchitis

Usually acute bronchitis is caused by viruses, often the same virus that causes colds, and may happen after a cold or other respiratory infection.

Major causes of chronic bronchitis also include:

More on Pneumonia and Bronchitis

What Factors Can Increase My Risk of Getting Pneumonia and Bronchitis?
Tracking Respiratory Infections

In the Encyclopedia:

Bronchitis
Cough
Emphysema

This article was reviewed and updated June 2007.


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