Pneumonia research to reduce childhood mortality in the developing world
J. Anthony G. Scott, W. Abdullah Brooks, J.S. Malik Peiris, Douglas Holtzman, E. Kim Mulholland
J. Anthony G. Scott, W. Abdullah Brooks, J.S. Malik Peiris, Douglas Holtzman, E. Kim Mulholland
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Pneumonia research to reduce childhood mortality in the developing world

Abstract

Pneumonia is an illness, usually caused by infection, in which the lungs become inflamed and congested, reducing oxygen exchange and leading to cough and breathlessness. It affects individuals of all ages but occurs most frequently in children and the elderly. Among children, pneumonia is the most common cause of death worldwide. Historically, in developed countries, deaths from pneumonia have been reduced by improvements in living conditions, air quality, and nutrition. In the developing world today, many deaths from pneumonia are also preventable by immunization or access to simple, effective treatments. However, as we highlight here, there are critical gaps in our understanding of the epidemiology, etiology, and pathophysiology of pneumonia that, if filled, could accelerate the control of pneumonia and reduce early childhood mortality.

Authors

J. Anthony G. Scott, W. Abdullah Brooks, J.S. Malik Peiris, Douglas Holtzman, E. Kim Mulholland

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Figure 2

Etiology of severe pneumonia in children in developing countries.

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Etiology of severe pneumonia in children in developing countries. Qualit...
Qualitative representation of the combined results of vaccine probe analyses (12, 113), studies of blood and lung aspirate cultures (14, 111, 153–155), and virus studies (128, 156) in predominantly HIV-uninfected children. Note that children might be infected by two or more lung pathogens simultaneously. Single-etiology studies and studies of children in the developed world suggest the undiagnosed portion might be attributable, at least in part, to respiratory viruses (adenoviruses, influenza viruses, parainfluenza virus, human metapneumovirus, cytomegalovirus, rhinovirus, enteroviruses, and coronaviruses), Pneumocystis jirovecii, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydia trachomatis, and Chlamydia pneumoniae. Etiology differs substantially in young infants (112), HIV-infected children (157), and malnourished children (15) as well as by region; for example, S. aureus accounted for one-quarter of the cases of pneumonia in a large study in Chile (158).