Pneumonia can be classified in several ways:
1. By anatomical region affected - lobar pneumonia involves an entire lung lobe while bronchopneumonia is patchy.
2. By where infection was acquired - community, healthcare, or ventilator associated.
3. By etiology - bacterial, viral, or other.
Bacterial pneumonia, the most common type, can be lobar or bronchopneumonia. Lobar pneumonia involves an inflammatory process over several days from congestion to red/grey hepatization and resolution. It typically has a sudden onset and is treated with antibiotics. Bronchopneumonia occurs in infants/elderly and shows patchy consolidation on x-ray.