Hospital-acquired pneumonia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) or nosocomial pneumonia refers to any pneumonia contracted by a patient in a hospital at least 48–72 hours after being admitted. It is thus distinguished from community-acquired pneumonia. It is usually caused by a bacterial infection, rather than a virus.[1][2]
Hospital acquired pneumonia is the second most common nosocomial infection (after urinary tract infections) and accounts for 15–20% of the total.[1][2][3] It is the most common cause of death among nosocomial infections and is the primary cause of death in intensive care units.[1][3] It is also one of the most common infections acquired at the hospital in children around the world.[4]
Hospital acquired pneumonia typically lengthens a hospital stay by 1–2 weeks.[1][3]