THE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF LOBAR PNEUMONIA

Abstract

An attempt was made in this study to clarify certain points in relation to the epidemiology of lobar pneumonia: Is any specific type of pneumococcus more prevalent in the immediate family contacts of a case of lobar pneumonia due to that particular type of pneumococcus than in the population at large? Is there any difference in the epidemiologic behavior of the different types of pneumococci? Do certain specific types of pneumococci that are more or less prevalent in the normal population pass more readily from the sick to the well than from normal person to normal person? Are there any measurable environmental factors, such as overcrowding, economic or social status, or seasonal variations, that may influence the ready transfer of a specific type of pneumococcus from the patient to his immediate contacts? Do variations in the individual, such as the age factor or the existence of an acute infection of