Disease Burden and Etiologic Distribution of Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Adults: Evolving Epidemiology in the Era of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines

Abstract

Pneumonia is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality, particularly in old adults. The incidence and etiologic distribution of community-acquired pneumonia is variable both geographically and temporally, and epidemiology might evolve with the change of population characteristics and vaccine uptake rates. With the increasing prevalence of chronic medical conditions, a wide spectrum of healthcare-associated pneumonia could also affect the epidemiology of community-acquired pneumonia. Here, we provide an overview of the epidemiological changes associated with community-acquired pneumonia over the decades since pneumococcal conjugate vaccine introduction.