An outbreak of pneumonia at the United States Air Force Academy may have resulted from the spread of Chlamydophila pneumoniae among close living quarters, according to recent data.

Researchers investigated a radiography-confirmed cluster of pneumonia cases identified through routine monitoring by the preventive medicine staff at the academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, starting in October 2013. The facility houses approximately 4,000 cadets who receive health care at the academy clinic or other military installations; about 80% of the cadets are men.

The outbreak continued through May 2014, and resulted in 102 pneumonia cases among cadets. Pneumonia was confirmed in men (n = 74) and women (n = 28), and every class year and cadet group was affected.

According to the researchers, C. pneumoniae may go undiagnosed in close-quarters living environments, and, although the infection is generally mild, may be linked to chronic conditions such as atherosclerosis and asthma.