Objectives. The precise epidemiology of childhood pneumonia remains poorly defined.
Accurate and prompt etiologic diagnosis is limited by inadequate clinical, radiologic, and
laboratory diagnostic methods. The objective of this study was to determine as precisely as
possible the epidemiology and morbidity of community-acquired pneumonia in hospitalized
children. Methods. Consecutive immunocompetent children hospitalized with
radiographically confirmed lower respiratory infections (LRIs) were evaluated prospectively …