This indicator shows the age-adjusted death rate per 100,000 population due to influenza and pneumonia.

In 2007, influenza and pneumonia ranked eighth among the leading causes of death in the United States. The two diseases are traditionally reported together, as pneumonia is frequently a complication of influenza. Influenza is a contagious disease caused by a virus. The number of influenza deaths can fluctuate considerably from one year to the next as influenza can be caused by more virulent virus strains in some years than others as the viruses constantly mutate. Pneumonia is a serious infection of the lungs that develops when the immune system is weakened. It is mainly caused by bacteria, viruses, and mycoplasmas. Typically there are more deaths from pneumonia than influenza. Persons most at risk include the elderly, the very young, and the immune-compromised.