Author: Scott A. Flanders University of Michigan 2008-08-18
Introduction
Pneumonia generally refers to an
infection of the lung tissue, or lung parenchyma (the functional parts
of the lung), and is considered a type of upper respiratory infection.
The term “pneumonia” is also used to describe non-infectious
inflammatory conditions of the lung that often have no known origin, but
this knol will focus solely on community acquired pneumonia, which has
identifiable, infectious origins. Please note as well, that this knol
will NOT cover conditions such as rhinitis, sinusitis, pharyngitis,
tracheitis, and bronchitis, which are all upper respiratory infections
that develop higher in the respiratory tree and are generally considered
less severe than pneumonia.