a is infection of lung parenchymal tissue. This can be caused by any sort of microorganism ranging fro
m bacteria to viruses to fungi. Doctors classify pneumonias into community acquired pneumonia (both fr
om typical and atypical organisms), nosocomial pneumonia, immune compromised pneumonia, chronic pneumo
nia and aspiration pneumonia.   Before the advent of antibiotics, pneumonia was often fatal, but most 
community-acquired pneumonias are readily treatable today. Many patients with pneumonia are treated by
 their own general practitioner and never admitted to hospital. This is often called walking pneumonia
 because although they can be very ill the patients are still mobile. Some people with walking pneumon
ia never realise they are ill at all, but merely feel 'run down' and exhausted.   The most common caus
e of community-acquired pneumonia is Streptococcus pneumoniae, also known as Pneumococcus.   Pneumonia
 is a serious illness, especially among the elderly and the immuno-compromised and is often a cause of
 death for these groups. AIDS patients frequently contract pneumocystis pneumonia, an otherwise rare f
orm of the disease. Persons with cystic fibrosis are also at very high risk of pneumonia because thick
, sticky mucus is constantly accumulating in the lungs, trapping bacteria and leading to infection.Pn
eumonia is infection of lung parenchymal tissue. This can be caused by any sort of microorganism rangi
ng from bacteria to viruses to fungi. Doctors classify pneumonias into community acquired pneumonia (b
oth from typical and atypical organisms), nosocomial pneumonia, immune compromised pneumonia, chronic 
pneumonia and aspiration pneumonia.   Before the advent of antibiotics, pneumonia was often fatal, but
 most community-acquired pneumonias are readily treatable today. Many patients with pneumonia are trea
ted by their own general practitioner and never admitted to hospital. This is often called walking pne
umonia because although they can be very ill the patients are still mobile. Some people with walking p
neumonia never realise they are ill at all, but merely feel 'run down' and exhausted.   The most commo
n cause of community-acquired pneumonia is Streptococcus pneumoniae, also known as Pneumococcus.   Pne
umonia is a serious illness, especially among the elderly and the immuno-compromised and is often a ca
use of death for these groups. AIDS patients frequently contract pneumocystis pneumonia, an otherwise 
rare form of the disease. Persons with cystic fibrosis are also at very high risk of pneumonia because
 thick, sticky mucus is constantly accumulating in the lungs, trapping bacteria and leading to infecti
on.Pneumonia is infection of lung parenchymal tissue. This can be caused by any sort of microorganism
 ranging from bacteria to viruses to fungi. Doctors classify pneumonias into community acquired pneumo
nia (both from typical and atypical organisms), nosocomial pneumonia, immune compromised pneumonia, ch
ronic pneumonia and aspiration pneumonia.   Before the advent of antibiotics, pneumonia was often fata
l, but most community-acquired pneumonias are readily treatable today. Many patients with pneumonia ar
e treated by their own general practitioner and never admitted to hospital. This is often called walki