What is meant by walking pneumonia?
That’s a lay term and it refers to a mild case, perhaps in a younger person, that can safely be treated in the outpatient setting. What causes pneumonia? We usually think of infectious causes and, within that category, there are both bacteria and viruses. In adults we think bacteria first because it’s more prevalent. Within the types of bacteria, there are the bacterium called Streptococcus pneumonia, which causes pneumococcal pneumonia, and then there’s one called Haemophilus influenzae. These are probably the first and second-most common causes. Haemophilus influenzae may be more common in smokers and patients who have underlying chronic emphysema or bronchitis. Viruses probably account for 20 percent to 25 percent of community-acquired pneumonia in adults. And in children, there’s a much greater likelihood that the pneumonias are caused by a virus than a bacteria. The influenza virus can cause pneumonia, though not frequently. And following influenza, patients also become more susce
