Pneumonitis overtook homicide to become the 15th leading cause of death in the US last year, a report from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention revealed.

Pneumonitis, a lung condition where food or vomit goes down the windpipe and cause death, accounted for 5.1 deaths per 100,000 in the country in 2010. This lung condition mainly occurs in the elderly.

It was the first time in almost five decades when homicide or murder has dropped off the list of top fifteen causes of death in the US.

James Alan Fox, a Northeastern Uni. Criminologist, said, “We've taken the home out of homicide.”

Number of deaths due to heart disease and cancer also slipped, but the two conditions still remained the top causes of deaths, accounting for more than one million deaths last year.

Deaths due to Parkinson’s disease, pneumonitis, Alzheimer’s disease, chronic lever disease and kidney disease jumped last year.

According to released figures, heart disease accounted for 178.5 deaths, while cancer accounted for 172.5 deaths per 100,000. Chronic respiratory diseases, stroke, unintended injuries and Alzheimer’s disease accounted for
42.1, 39.0, 37.1 and 25.0 deaths per 100,000 in 2010.