Definition of Hospital-acquired pneumonia:

Hospital-acquired pneumonia is an infection of the lungs contracted during a hospital stay.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Pneumonia is a very common illness. It is caused by many different germs and can range in seriousness from mild to life-threatening.

Hospital-acquired pneumonia tends to be more serious, because a patient's defense mechanisms against infection are often impaired during a hospital stay. In addition, the types of germs present in a hospital are frequently more dangerous than those encountered in the community. Hospital-acquired pneumonia occurs more commonly in patients who require a respirator to help them breathe. It is also known as ventilator-associated pneumonia.

Risk factors for hospital-acquired pneumonia include:

• Alcoholism
• Being on a breathing machine
• Immunosuppression from medications or disease
• Inhaling material into the lungs (aspiration)
• Older age
• Recent illness