BACTERIAL PNEUMONIA

Bacteria play a critical role in the severe pneumonia and fatalities a ssociated with the bovine respiratory disease complex. Although numero us bacteria have the potential to cause pneumonia, only a small number of these are responsible for the majority of cases of disease. Virule nce and immunogenic characteristics of these organisms are important d eterminants of the host response to infection. These bacterial charact eristics are reviewed and applied to a discussion of the epidemiology, pathogenesis, and prevention of bacterial pneumonia is also discussed .