What is aspiration pneumonia?

What is aspiration pneumonia?

Aspiration pneumonia is pneumonia that is caused by something other than air being inhaled (aspirated) into your respiratory tract. These non-air substances can be food, liquid, saliva, stomach contents, toxins or even a small foreign object.

There’s also a condition called aspiration pneumonitis which is caused by the same type of thing happening but there is only inflammation (swelling) and irritation, not infection. It’s difficult to tell the two conditions apart.

Other names for aspiration pneumonia include anaerobic pneumonia, necrotizing pneumonia and aspiration of vomitus.