Anthony Head — best known for his roles in “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Ted Lasso” — has died at the age of 72.
“He passed away peacefully of complications due to pneumonia, surrounded by his family,” the British actor’s daughters, Emily and Daisy Head, said in a statement on Friday.
“We know how dearly he will be missed by friends, colleagues, and fans of the shows he was in,” the pair wrote. “He loved his job very much, and he always considered himself incredibly lucky, to have been able to work alongside such exceptionally talented people, in such wonderful productions, across a career that spanned several decades.”
Head’s death is the latest in a string of recent celebrity losses linked to the lung infection, which sends more than 1 million Americans to the hospital each year.
In October, Hollywood legend Diane Keaton succumbed to the illness, her health having taken a dramatic turn in the months leading up to her death at age 79.
Kyle Busch, one of NASCAR’s most renowned drivers, had bacterial pneumonia for “days to weeks” before he developed sepsis, which ultimately led to his death at just 41.
And last April, Hollywood film star Val Kilmer died at the age of 65 after a battle with the respiratory disease, with other underlying medical conditions contributing to his passing.
The list goes on, with top entertainers joining the more than 40,000 people who die from pneumonia each year in the US.
Here’s everything you need to know about the common illness.
What is pneumonia?
It’s a lung infection that causes the air sacs to swell and fill with fluid or pus, making it hard to breathe and easy to get dangerously sick.
It’s a common condition, affecting about 25 out of every 10,000 adults in the US, with rates increasing significantly as people age. That amounts to millions of cases annually.
What causes pneumonia?
Pneumonia can be caused by several organisms, but the biggest culprits are viruses and bacteria, according to the American Lung Association.
Viral pneumonia usually comes from bugs like the cold, flu, COVID-19 or respiratory syncytial virus. Most cases are mild and clear up faster than bacterial pneumonia — but some can become severe.
Bacterial pneumonia can strike on its own or follow a viral infection, and it’s generally more common and serious than viral pneumonia. The leading cause is a bacteria called Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus), which normally lives in the upper respiratory tract.
While pneumonia itself isn’t contagious, the viruses and bacteria that cause it are. You can pick them up by touching infected surfaces or breathing in droplets from coughs and sneezes.
Fungus can also cause pneumonia, although it’s a much less common source. It’s usually acquired by inhaling fungal spores from the environment, rather than from contact with an infected person.
Who’s at risk?
Pneumonia can affect anyone, but the most vulnerable are kids under 2 and adults over 65 due to their weak or aging immune systems, according to the Mayo Clinic.
People with compromised immune systems — like those with HIV/AIDS, cancer patients on chemo or radiation or organ transplant recipients — also face a higher risk. The same goes for anyone recovering from a recent respiratory virus.
If you’re staying in the ICU or on a ventilator, your chances of being diagnosed are higher.
Lifestyle habits can affect your chances, too. Smoking and heavy drinking make you more vulnerable, as does breathing in pollution or toxic fumes.
What are the symptoms?
Bacterial pneumonia can hit suddenly or creep in slowly. It can cause:
- High fever
- Fatigue
- Shortness of breath
- Rapid heartbeat
- Chills
- Chest or stomach pain
- Loss of appetite
- Cough that brings up yellow, green or bloody mucus
Viral pneumonia usually develops over several days. It can cause:
- Fever
- Dry cough
- Headache
- Muscle aches
- Extreme fatigue
Babies and young children may not show typical signs. Instead, look for trouble feeding, nonstop crying, limpness, pale skin, noisy breathing, vomiting, fussiness or coughing.
Is pneumonia deadly?
It’s the top reason that US children end up in the hospital. For adults, it’s the second leading cause of hospital stays — trailing only behind childbirth, according to the American Thoracic Society.
Some cases are mild, but pneumonia can be brutal. Recovery can take weeks, and complications like respiratory failure, fluid buildup, lung abscesses and bloodstream infections can turn deadly.
Every year, about 1 million adults in the US land in the hospital with pneumonia — and roughly 50,000 don’t survive.
Can you prevent it?
Vaccines are one of the best defenses against pneumonia. Shots targeting the bacteria and viruses that cause the infection can lower your risk of getting it, and if you do get sick, they can help keep it from turning severe.
Beyond vaccines, simple healthy habits help, including quitting smoking, cutting back on booze, eating right, exercising and getting plenty of rest.
Treating any other infections or health issues that could weaken your immune system is also a crucial part of staying ahead of pneumonia.
