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Chapter 12 - Pneumonia and Other Acute Lower Respiratory Tract Infections in Children

from Section 2 - Mother and Child Health

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 June 2025

By
Ambrose Agweyu ,
Heather Zar ,
E. Kim Mulholland  and
Martin W. Weber
Edited by
David Mabey ,
Martin W. Weber ,
Moffat Nyirenda ,
Dorothy Yeboah-Manu ,
Jackson Orem ,
Laura Benjamin ,
Michael Marks  and
Nicholas A. Feasey
David Mabey
Affiliation:
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Martin W. Weber
Affiliation:
World Health Organization
Moffat Nyirenda
Affiliation:
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Dorothy Yeboah-Manu
Affiliation:
Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana
Jackson Orem
Affiliation:
Uganda Cancer Institute, Kampala
Laura Benjamin
Affiliation:
University College London
Michael Marks
Affiliation:
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Nicholas A. Feasey
Affiliation:
Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
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Summary

Despite declining trends, pneumonia remains the most important infectious cause of serious illness and death in young children globally. It is estimated that pneumonia causes almost 800,000 deaths in children under 5 years of age each year, nearly all of which are preventable. Pneumonia is generally a more common cause of death in those countries that have the highest infant mortality rates. Risk factors are malnutrition, HIV infection or exposure and indoor or outdoor air pollution. Lack of access to basic medical care is behind most pneumonia deaths (UNICEF & World Health Organization 2013). This remains a problem in many African countries. Untreated, the case-fatality rate is particularly high in the first year of life.

Type
Chapter
Information
Principles of Medicine in Africa , pp. 149 - 161
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2025

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References

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