Pneumonia is the world's leading cause of death by an infectious disease, resulting in millions of fatalities, many of them children, each year.
Combatting Pneumonia, the World's Leading Infectious Disease
Presently, pneumonia (and influenza) is listed as number 9 on the top 10 leading causes of death in the United States, claiming the lives of approximately 49K people per year.
Worldwide, pneumonia is estimated to claim more than 2.5M people each year, more than 670K of which are children.
A further 2.3M child deaths due to healthcare disruptions are estimated to occur worldwide each year--35% of which are connected to either pneumonia or newborn sepsis.
An additional 2M lives were claimed by pneumonia in 2020 as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Causes of Pneumonia Worldwide
The leading cause of pneumonia infections worldwide is air pollution.
According to Stop Pneumonia:
- Air pollution is the leading risk factor for death from pneumonia.
- An estimated 30% (749,200) of all pneumonia deaths in 2019 were attributable to air pollution, according to the GBD.
- Of all air pollution causes, particulate matter measuring less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter – less than a 30th of the diameter of a human hair – that causes the most significant burden of disease.
- The majority (56%) of air pollution-related pneumonia deaths are from household sources, while 44% are from outdoor sources.
- While air-pollution related deaths from household sources have been falling since 2000, deaths from outdoor air pollution are rising, driven by increases across Africa and Asia.
- 40% of air pollution-related pneumonia deaths are among children under five years, while 35% are adults over 70 years.
- 70% of air pollution-related pneumonia deaths among children are caused by household air pollution, while 57% of air pollution-related pneumonia deaths among older adults are caused by outdoor air pollution.
Source:
Pneumonia can often manifest as a secondary infection when a primary viral or bacterial infection progresses too far.
Common primary infections that can lead to secondary pneumonia infections include:
- Human rhinovirus (HRV).
- COVID-19.
- Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib).
- Influenza (flu).
- Measles.
- Pertussis (whooping cough).
- Pneumococcal, and;
- Varicella (chickenpox).
Preventing Pneumonia
There are several methods for preventing pneumonia, including vaccinations, such as:
- Pneumococcal Vaccination--Pneumovax (PPSV23) and Prevnar (PCV13), and;
- Vaccination against primary infections that can result in pneumonia (listed above).
Additional mitigation methods include:
- Washing your hands well and often with soap and water.
- Regular cleaning and fomite disinfection.
- Coughing or sneezing into a tissue, mask, or your sleeve or elbow.
- Limiting contact with cigarettes and other sources of smoke and ceasing all smoking activities.
- Taking good care of comorbidities, such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease, and;
- Eliminating sources of indoor air pollution, including commonly used commercial and household disinfectants.
References & Resources
- World Pneumonia Day 2021
- Leading Causes of Death
- New CDC study highlights burden of pneumonia hospitalizations among U.S. adults
- Pneumonia Can Be Prevented—Vaccines Can Help
- Secondary Bacterial Infections in Patients With Viral Pneumonia
Takeaway
Worldwide, pneumonia as a primary or secondary infection results in the preventable deaths of millions of children and adults.
In the U.S. alone, the infection kills more than 40K people per year and carries an annual medical care burden of more than $10B annually.
Vaccinations against pneumonia and other infections that can result in pneumonia are neither universally available nor effective.
Enhanced cleaning and targeted disinfection services combined with documented handwashing practices are among the best measures to prevent contact with the pathogens and pathogenic bacteria that result in pneumonia--thereby breaking the chain of infection and preventing further spread of the illness.
Critical to enhanced cleaning and targeted disinfection methodologies is selecting products that do not adversely impact indoor environment quality.
However, regardless of the quality of the product employed, trained, dedicated, and experienced service providers are required to ensure the products are applied safely and effectively in a manner that promotes health instead of contributing to the spread of disease and negatively impacting indoor air quality.
Outsourcing is a proven method for quickly onboarding highly in-demand custodial and facilities maintenance services at a fraction of the cost of managing a similar service in-house.
If you would like more information regarding the effectiveness of high-performance infection prevention and control measures, or if you would like to schedule a free, no-obligation onsite assessment of your facility's custodial needs, contact us today for a free quote!
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