An infection contracted outside of a health care setting or an infection present on admission. Community-acquired infections are often distinguished from nosocomial infection, or hospital-acquired, diseases by the types of organisms that affect patients who are recovering from a disease or injury. Community-acquired respiratory infections commonly involve strains of Haemophilus influenzae or Streptococcus pneumoniae and are usually more antibiotic sensitive.
Community-acquired infections are rare, but may occur in patients with comorbidities, advanced age, diabetes mellitus, chronic lung or renal disease, malignancy, or impaired immunity.
see Hospital-acquired infection