Predictors of community acquired pneumonia

This book is a thesis that aimed at investigating the factors associated with community-acquired pneumonia in children < 5 years old in one of the divisions in the South West region of Cameroon.Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) remains a major public health issue and a principal cause of morbidity and mortality in children under 5 years of age worldwide. WHO estimates, that 156 million new cases of pneumonia occur annually worldwide in children under five, with 95% of these cases occurring in developing countries. Control measures include; vaccination, health education aimed at reducing risks associated to common risks factors. The 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine is the major intervention strategy to prevent new infections, though the vaccines have been in use since 2011 in Cameroon, lower respiratory tract infections remain major a cause of morbidity and mortality particularly among children. Factors associated with Pneumonia infections have been mapped out in some countries. However, no study has been identified in the region. Therefore, his study aimed at assessing the trends in lower respiratory tract infections and risk factors of CAP in Fako Division, Cameroon.