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Pneumonia

219 Respiratory Medicine doctors in Hong Kong →

Also known as: Community-acquired pneumonia · Mycoplasma pneumonia ·

Pneumonia is an infection of the lung with many possible causes, commonly pneumococcus and mycoplasma, and influenza can be complicated by it. The Centre for Health Protection states that symptoms may include fever, rapid breathing, chills and a productive cough, and that severe cases can be fatal. Two of the common causes have government-subsidised vaccines in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong has 219 registered Respiratory Medicine doctors.

Source: Medical Council of Hong Kong register · read 2026-09-20

ok.med editorial team ·
Compiled by the editorial team from the sources listed below. Not reviewed by an individual doctor.

What are the symptoms of pneumonia?

For pneumococcal pneumonia the Centre for Health Protection lists fever, rapid breathing, chills and a cough productive of phlegm, and notes that severe cases can be fatal.

The difference from an ordinary upper respiratory infection worth watching for is the breathing: rapid breathing is not a feature of a common cold. That is why the warning signs on this page lead with breathlessness.

What causes pneumonia?

Pneumonia is not one disease but the result of infection in the lung, and several organisms cause it. The Centre for Health Protection publishes separately on a number of them, including pneumococcus, mycoplasma and human metapneumovirus.

What the Centre publishes on pneumonia-related organisms
OrganismWhat the Centre statesVaccine?
PneumococcusCommonly causes middle ear infection and pneumonia, and can cause invasive pneumococcal diseaseYes, and subsidised
Influenza virusInfluenza complications include pneumonia, sepsis, encephalitis, myocarditis and deathYes, and subsidised
Mycoplasma pneumoniaeAmong the commonest organisms in community-acquired pneumonia in healthy people under fortyNo

Medical Council of Hong Kong register

219 Respiratory Medicine doctors in Hong Kong

All 219 ›

The doctors below are listed from the Medical Council of Hong Kong register. This is not a recommendation, and says nothing about outcomes for this condition. Ask the doctor directly.

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Do younger people get pneumonia?

Yes. The Centre for Health Protection states that mycoplasma is among the commonest organisms in community-acquired pneumonia in healthy people under forty.

Mycoplasma infection occurs at any time of year, with a community outbreak roughly every three to seven years. The incubation period is two to three weeks, longer than most respiratory infections, and symptoms — fever, cough, sore throat, tiredness and headache — are usually those of a mild upper respiratory infection.

Most mild infections resolve on their own, but the Centre notes that some patients develop serious complications including severe pneumonia, encephalitis, impaired kidney function or haemolytic anaemia.

Who is at higher risk of pneumonia?

Older people and those with weakened immunity are at higher risk. For influenza the Centre lists older people, children under five, pregnant women and those with chronic conditions as higher risk — and pneumonia is one of influenza’s complications.

For pneumococcus, the Government’s vaccination programme is aimed at people aged 65 or above, with the vaccine and sequence depending on whether a high-risk condition is present. The two programmes address two different routes to the same outcome.

At a glance

Common causes of pneumonia and vaccine c

Common causes of pneumonia and vaccine coverage: pneumococcus and influenza both have government-subsidised vaccines; mycoplasma has none and is among the commonest causes in healthy people under forty.
Source: Centre for Health Protection · Read the original ›

Can it be prevented?

Partly. There is no single vaccine against pneumonia, but two of its common causes — pneumococcus and influenza — both have government-subsidised vaccines in Hong Kong.

Under the 2026/27 Vaccination Subsidy Scheme the subsidies are $260 a dose for seasonal influenza vaccine, $400 for the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine and $800 for the 15-valent conjugate vaccine. The elderly pneumococcal programme runs year-round.

The rest is general respiratory hygiene: washing hands with liquid soap and water for at least twenty seconds, covering the nose and mouth with a tissue when sneezing or coughing and disposing of it in a lidded bin, keeping rooms ventilated, and wearing a mask when symptomatic.

What prevention is available in Hong Kong?

There is no single pneumonia vaccine, but two of its common causes have government-subsidised vaccines here, with published amounts and eligible groups.

  • The Centre for Health Protection states that pneumococcus commonly causes middle ear infection and pneumonia, and can cause invasive disease such as bacteraemic pneumonia, septicaemia and meningitis.Centre for Health Protection: pneumococcal vaccine · read · (source)
  • The Centre states that influenza-related complications include pneumonia, sepsis, encephalitis, myocarditis and death.Centre for Health Protection: seasonal influenza · read · (source)
  • The Centre states that mycoplasma is among the commonest organisms in community-acquired pneumonia in healthy people under forty, with a community outbreak roughly every three to seven years and an incubation period of two to three weeks.Centre for Health Protection: mycoplasma pneumoniae infection · read · (source)
  • Under the 2026/27 Vaccination Subsidy Scheme the subsidy is $260 per dose of seasonal influenza vaccine, $400 for the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine and $800 for the 15-valent conjugate vaccine.Centre for Health Protection: Vaccination Subsidy Scheme 2026/27 · read · (source)

When is urgent care needed?

  • Rapid or laboured breathing, or breathlessness when speaking — rapid breathing is among the pneumonia symptoms the Centre lists and is not a feature of a common cold.
  • Chest pain, particularly if it worsens on deep breaths or coughing.
  • Persistent high fever with chills and a productive cough.
  • Blue lips or complexion, confusion, or extreme drowsiness.
  • Worsening respiratory symptoms in an older person, a child under five, a pregnant woman or someone with weakened immunity — seek care early rather than waiting.

Each has its own page and doctor list

Conditions related to Pneumonia

By district

Which districts have Respiratory Medicine doctors?

Frequently asked questions

How is pneumonia different from a cold?
Watch the breathing. Rapid breathing is among the pneumonia symptoms the Centre lists and is not a feature of a common cold. Rapid or laboured breathing warrants immediate care, and diagnosis requires examination.
Is there a pneumonia vaccine?
There is no single vaccine against pneumonia itself, because many organisms cause it. Two of the common causes — pneumococcus and influenza — do have government-subsidised vaccines here.
Do young people get pneumonia?
Yes. The Centre states mycoplasma is among the commonest organisms in community-acquired pneumonia in healthy people under forty.
How long is the mycoplasma incubation period?
The Centre gives two to three weeks, longer than most respiratory infections. It occurs year-round, with a community outbreak roughly every three to seven years.
Are pneumonia and tuberculosis the same?
No. Tuberculosis is caused by the tubercle bacillus, develops slowly, and is treated over a standard six-month course, free at Department of Health chest clinics. The two cannot be told apart from symptoms alone.
Does the flu jab prevent pneumonia?
Not quite. The influenza vaccine lowers the risk of influenza and its complications, pneumonia among them, but many other organisms cause pneumonia and no vaccine covers them all.

Sources

  1. Centre for Health Protection: mycoplasma pneumoniae infection — organism, incubation, symptoms, complications and who is affected. Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health ()
  2. Centre for Health Protection: pneumococcal vaccine — the diseases pneumococcus causes, including invasive disease. Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health ()
  3. Centre for Health Protection: seasonal influenza — complications include pneumonia. Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health ()
  4. Centre for Health Protection: Vaccination Subsidy Scheme 2026/27 — subsidy amounts for influenza and pneumococcal vaccines. Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health ()

This page is compiled from the Hong Kong official sources listed above. It is general information only — not a diagnosis, a treatment recommendation or medical advice, and no substitute for seeing a doctor. If you are unsure or your condition changes, consult a registered doctor.