Community-Acquired Pneumonia: Epidemiology, Causes, and Signs and Symptoms

Community-Acquired Pneumonia Disease
Student’s Name
Professor’s Name
Institutional Affiliations
Course Name and Number
Due Date
Community-Acquired Pneumonia Disease
Community-Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) is a severe pulmonary parenchyma infection. According to Leung et al. (2018), this illness is often acute and arises from infection by contacting pathogens in the community. The sudden onset of the disease illustrates that it is a life-threatening condition of public concern considering that experts have associated it with increased mortality and morbidity among the victims, especially in the developing world. CAP is a significant problem among children because of their relatively immature immunity and carefree young life, increasing their vulnerability to acquiring the causative agents. As a result, Yun et al. (2019) indicate that CAP is the top cause of mortality among children under five. The author suggests that it also tops among the most infectious diseases that increase hospitalization and the intake of antibiotics in all countries, including the industrialized ones. As a result, this paper investigates CAP in children to identify the nature of the disease, its epidemiology, etiology, signs and symptoms, treatment options, and prevention mechanisms.
Epidemiology of CAP
Estimates indicate that pneumonia is one of the primary life-threatening illnesses worldwide. According to Lanks et al. (2019), the disease has already demonstrated its infectiveness by having risen as the eighth major mortality cause in the U.S. in 2015 and fourth internationally. In the same year, Nascimento-Carvalho (2020) indicated that it received linkages to the loss of approximately 0.921 children below five years old. Other researchers suggest that the numbers for its impacts remain underrated. In this context, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports that about 2 million children below five years likely die of this disease yearly (Leung et al., 2018). Statistics reveal that CAP remains a common occurrence in most developing nations, with estimates highlighting that it occurs at about 0.28 episodes for every child in a year. According to Leung et al. (2018), trends indicate that the developing world witnesses approximately 36 – 40 CAP incidences for every 1000 under-five children and 11 – 16 for 1000 children between the ages of 5 and 14. Statistics for North America indicate that the yearly incidence rate stands at 30 – 45 in the former group and 6 -12 in children beyond the age of nine years. These statistics indicate that CAP is a concerning disease that contributes to a significant healthcare burden irrespective of the development status of a nation. As a result, it leads to substantial financial costs for the system and individuals. In addition, it disrupts the functionalities of the patients. Thus, this aspect demonstrates the severity of CAP infections.
What Causes CAP
The causes of CAP vary based on diverse factors, including the child’s age and where they acquire the illness. Leung et al. (2018) indicate that researchers have established viruses as the primary causes of CAP among children below the age of five years. They state that this causative agent has become linked to u...