A member asked:

My mom gets pneumonia, so am i likely to get it later?

4 doctors weighed in across 2 answers

Pneumonia: Your mother may have a chronic illness that increases her risk for getting pneumonia. If you are healthy with a normal immune system, then you probably are not at risk for getting it. Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs. It is not inherited.

Answered 5/18/2013

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Dr. William Walsh answered

Specializes in Addiction Medicine

Not really: Pneumonia is a common respiratory disorder with many potential causes (bacterial and viral with many variants) with no clear heritable risk. Obesity, age, immune function, smoking, vaccination status, dental hygiene, alcohol intake, etc are all modifiable risk factors that appear to cover most risk. Some risk factors (cystic fibrosis, ciliary disfunction) are heritable, but not subtle.

Answered 3/3/2012

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