Knowing The Cause Of Pneumonia Is Critical For Older Adults

Viruses cause more pneumonia-related hospitalizations among American adults than bacteria, although the cause of the lung infection is undetected in most cases, a new federal study says.

The findings show the need for improved diagnostic tests, according to Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which conducted the study.

“Pneumonia is a leading cause of hospitalization and death among adults in the United States and in 2011 the medical costs exceeded $10 billion,” he said in a CDC news release.