SkipdirectlytositecontentSkipdirectlytopageoptionsSkipdirectlytoA-ZlinkChlamydiapneumoniaeInfectionSectionNavigationCDCHomeFacebookTwitterLinkedInSyndicateCauses,HowItSpreads,andPeopleatIncreasedRiskMinusRelatedPagesChlamydiapneumoniaeisatypeofbacteriathatcausesrespiratorytractinfections,suchaspneumonia(lunginfection).Thebacteriacauseillnessbydamagingtheliningoftherespiratorytractincludingthethroat,windpipe,andlungs.Somepeoplemaybecomeinfectedandhavemildornosymptoms.HowItSpreadsPeoplespreadC.pneumoniaebycoughingorsneezing,whichcreatessmallrespiratorydropletsthatcontainthebacteria.Otherpeoplethenbreatheinthebacteria.Peoplecanalsogetsickiftheytouchsomethingwithdropletsfromasickpersononitandthentouchtheirmouthornose.MostpeoplewhospendashortamountoftimewithsomeonewhohasC.pneumoniaeinfectionusuallydonotbecomeill.However,itiscommonforthebacteriatospreadbetweenpeoplewholivetogether.C.pneumoniaeinfectionsusuallyhavelongincubationperiods(thetimebetweenbreathinginthebacteriaanddevelopingsymptoms).Symptomsusuallybegin3to4weeksafterexposure.1,2,3,4,5,6,7PeopleatIncreasedRiskPeopleofallagescangetsickfromC.pneumoniae.Itmostcommonlyinfectspeopleforthefirsttimewhentheyareschool-agedchildrenoryoungadults.However,reinfectionismostcommoninolderadults.Peopleatincreasedriskincludethosewholiveorworkincrowdedsettingswhereoutbreaksmostcommonlyoccur8,suchas:SchoolsCollegeresidencehallsMilitarybarracksNursinghomesHospitalsPrisonsOlderadultsareatincreasedriskforseverediseasecausedbyC.pneumoniaeinfection,includingpneumonia.Footnotes1CsangoPA,HaraldstadS,PedersenJE,JagarsG,ForelandI.RespiratorytractinfectionduetoChlamydiapneumoniaeinmilitarypersonnel.ScandJInfectDisSuppl.1997;104:26–9.2DawoodFS,AmbroseJF,RussellBPetal.OutbreakofpneumoniainthesettingoffatalpneumococcalmeningitisamongUSArmytrainees: potentialroleofChlamydiapneumoniaeinfection.BMCInfectDis.2011;11:157.3OktemIM,EllidokuzH,SevincC,etal.PCRandserologywereeffectiveforidentifyingChlamydophilapneumoniaeinalowerrespiratoryinfectionoutbre