title: Community-acquired, health care-associated, and ventilator-associated pneumonia: three variations of a serious disease.
abstract: Pneumonia affects millions of people every year in the United States. Hospital-acquired pneumonia is associated with a mortality rate as high as 50%. Pneumonia is classified according to where it was acquired or by the infecting organism. This article explores the similarities and differences in three types of pneumonia seen routinely in the intensive care unit: community-acquired pneumonia, ventilator-associated pneumonia, and health care-associated pneumonia.
authors.affiliation: Medical and Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Baystate Medical Center, 759 Chestnut Street, Springfield, MA 01199, USA. susan.scott@bhs.org
authors.forename: Susan S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: Cynthia B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Kardos
mesh_terms: D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy; D053717:Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy; D012307:Risk Factors