The study also revealed that respiratory viruses, not bacteria, were most commonly detected in children who were hospitalized for pneumonia — bacteria were detected in just 8 percent of the children with pneumonia, while one or more viruses were detected in 66 percent of the kids.
“This ground-breaking study shows how badly we need faster, less-expensive diagnostic tests for doctors to accurately diagnose the cause of pneumonia so they can effectively treat it,” said Tom Frieden, MD, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
More articles on pneumonia:
Corticosteroids supplement treatment for community-acquired pneumonia
ACIP: Seniors should get 2 doses of pneumonia vaccine
Could vitamin E protect against pneumonia?
