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Pneumonia: What To Know
Pneumonia is a lung infection that can range from mild to so serious that you have to go to the hospital. It happens when an infection causes air sacs in your lungs (the alveoli) and tubes in your airways that connect to them (bronchioles) to fill with fluid or pus. That can make it hard for you to breathe in enough oxygen.
Anyone can get this lung infection. But children younger than 2 and people over 65 are at higher risk. That's because their immune systems might not be strong enough to fight it. Lifestyle habits, like smoking cigarettes and drinking too much alcohol, can also raise your chances of getting pneumonia.
You can get pneumonia in one or both lungs. Pneumonia in both lungs is sometimes called bilateral pneumonia or double pneumonia. You can also have pneumonia and not know it. This is sometimes called walking pneumonia.
Causes include bacteria, viruses, and fungi. If your pneumonia results from bacteria or a virus, you can spread it to someone else.
Pneumonia can be grouped into types based on what caused it. Many things can lead to pneumonia, but some of the most common are:
Bacterial pneumonia
More people get this type of pneumonia than any other. While several types of bacteria can cause it, the most common in the U.S. Is streptococcus. People sometimes get bacterial pneumonia after a viral infection like a cold or the flu.
Viral pneumonia
Viruses, such as cold and flu viruses, cause about a third of all cases of pneumonia. They're the most common cause of the condition in children under 5. This type of infection isn't usually as serious as bacterial pneumonia, but it can be. Viral pneumonia raises your risk of also getting bacterial pneumonia.
Fungal pneumonia
Fungi found in dirt or bird poop can also cause a pneumonia infection. This type is more likely to affect people with weaker immune systems, such as those who have long-lasting health problems.
Walking pneumonia
This is a nickname for a less serious type that's officially called mycoplasma pneumonia. It's named for the bacteria that causes it. Young adults and older children most often get this type, which often doesn't require bed rest.
Your symptoms can vary, depending on the cause of your pneumonia, your age, and your overall health. They usually develop over several days.
Common signs of pneumonia include:
Along with these symptoms, older adults and people with weak immune systems might be confused or have problems with thinking. They might also have a lower-than-usual body temperature.
The symptoms of viral pneumonia tend to come on slowly, and they are often mild at first. They may include:
If you have trouble breathing, coughing that doesn't stop, chest pain, or a fever of 102 F or higher, see your doctor.
Symptoms of pneumonia in babies
Babies with pneumonia may not show any symptoms. But they could seem tired or restless. They might also have a cough, fever, vomiting, or trouble breathing. It also may be hard for them to eat.
You get pneumonia when a potentially harmful substance that your body could usually fight off overwhelms your immune system and infects your lungs.
Viruses that can lead to viral pneumonia include:
Causes of bacterial pneumonia include:
Fungal pneumonia causes include:
Aspiration pneumonia
You can get aspiration pneumonia when you breathe in a foreign substance, like vomit, saliva, or food. You're more likely to get it if something has interfered with your gag reflex, such as a brain injury or overuse of drugs or alcohol.
Is pneumonia contagious?
Bacterial and viral types of pneumonia are contagious. The germs that cause them may spread through the air when someone who is infected talks, coughs, or sneezes. You might also get pneumonia after touching a surface that has the germs on it, then touching your mouth or nose.
Can the flu turn into pneumonia?
Influenza viruses can cause pneumonia, particularly in people who have other health conditions or are at higher risk of it for another reason
Can COVID turn into pneumonia?
The virus that causes COVID-19 can lead to pneumonia. It can also make you more prone to get an infection from other types of viruses or bacteria by weakening your immune system or causing you to need a ventilator.
Hospital-acquired pneumonia
If you get pneumonia while you're in a hospital, that's called hospital-acquired pneumonia. It tends to be more serious, since it can be caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria and those who get it have other health issues. You might also hear the term health care-associated pneumonia. This refers more broadly to pneumonia you catch while in any health care facility, such as a long-term care facility or dialysis center.
Ventilator-associated pneumonia
You have ventilator-associated pneumonia if you get the infection while using a ventilator, a machine that helps you breathe.
Community-acquired pneumonia
Most cases are what's called community-acquired pneumonia, which means you didn't get it in a hospital.
Anybody can get pneumonia , though it most commonly affects babies and people over 65.
You're also at higher risk if you:
Your doctor will start with questions about your symptoms and your medical history, like whether you smoke and whether you've been around sick people at home, school, or work. Then, they'll listen to your lungs. If you have pneumonia, they might hear cracking, bubbling, or rumbling sounds when you breathe in.
If your doctor thinks you might have pneumonia, they'll probably give you tests, including:
If your symptoms started in the hospital or you have other health problems, your doctor might give you more tests, such as:
Pneumonia vs. Bronchitis
Like pneumonia, bronchitis can give you a long-lasting cough, fever, fatigue, and chest pain. You can also get pneumonia after having bronchitis. But bronchitis, which results from inflammation in the tubes that carry air to your lungs, tends to be much less serious. See your doctor if you have these symptoms so they can figure out which condition you have and how best to treat it.
Pneumonia can have several complications, including:
Your treatment will depend on what caused your pneumonia, how serious it is, and your overall health. Most people are able to recover at home with rest and medication.
Pneumonia medication
If you have bacterial pneumonia, you'll get antibiotics. Make sure you take all of the medicine your doctor gives you, even if you start to feel better before you're through with it.
If you have viral pneumonia, antibiotics won't help. You'll need to rest, drink a lot of fluids, and take medicine for your fever. Antiviral medications can work well against some, but not all, of the viruses that cause pneumonia.
Your doctor will prescribe antifungal medication to treat fungal pneumonia.
Atypical pneumonia treatment
Atypical pneumonia is caused by bacteria that are hard for doctors to detect with standard methods, such as mycoplasma and legionella. With a mild case, you may be able to recover with rest and self-care at home. If it's more serious, your doctor will treat it with antibiotics.
Pneumonia nebulizer
Your doctor may prescribe a nebulizer or inhaler to you or your child to help with breathing. But this won't treat the pneumonia itself.
Hospitalization for pneumonia
If your symptoms are serious or if you have other conditions that make you more likely to have complications, your doctor may send you to the hospital. While you're there, your doctor will probably give you fluids or antibiotics through an IV. You may need oxygen therapy or breathing treatments. And the doctors might need to drain fluid from your lungs.
How long does pneumonia last?
Depending on what type of pneumonia you have and how sick you are, it could take anywhere from a week to a month or more to recover. You'll probably feel fatigued for a month or so. Most people continue to feel tired for about a month. You need lots of rest while you're recovering, so don't try to rush it. Ask your doctor when you can return to your usual activities. Limit contact with other people while you're sick so you don't spread the germs that cause pneumonia.
Signs that pneumonia is improving
You can tell you're recovering when your symptoms improve. While you'll probably be tired for a while, you should notice:
There are some things you can do at home to ease your symptoms and help you recover:
To avoid pneumonia and the germs that can cause it, take these steps:
Pneumonia vaccine
There are two types of vaccines that can prevent infection with the pneumococcus bacteria, the most common cause of bacterial pneumonia. They're recommended for:
Children under 2, kids ages 2-5 who are at high risk for pneumonia, and those who go to group child care should also get a pneumonia vaccine.
A flu shot can also help prevent pneumonia in both kids and adults. So can vaccines that protect against:
Pneumonia is a lung infection most often caused by bacteria or a virus. It may be mild enough that you can recover at home, or serious enough to put you in a hospital. Vaccines can protect you against pneumonia. See a doctor if you have trouble breathing, chest pain, a high fever, or a cough that doesn't go away.
What are the 4 stages of pneumonia symptoms?
Bacterial pneumonia has four stages:
Pneumonia vaccine: How often?
Three pneumonia (pneumococcal) vaccines are widely used in the U.S.: PCV15, PCV20, and PCV23. PCV13 is an older vaccine, but it is still used occasionally. Doctors may use them for different people, depending on their age and health condition:
Your doctor can tell you how many shots you need and when.
Mystery Pneumonia, Respiratory Illness, Has Afflicted 44 People In Wuhan, China
Pictured here is the Yangsigang Yangtze River bridge leading to Wuhan, the capital of central ... [+] China's Hubei Province. (Photo by Xiong Qi/Xinhua via Getty)
Xinhua News Agency/Getty ImagesSometimes you want some mystery in your life. This is not such a situation.
"Mystery pneumonia" are two words that you never want to hear together. It is also what has already afflicted at least 44 people in Wuhan, China. According to a statement from the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission, symptoms have included fever, abnormal findings in both lungs on chest X-rays, and in some cases difficulty breathing. Eleven patients are currently critically ill.
Here is a China Global Television Network (CGTN) report on the outbreak:
The word "pneumonia" is like the word "meme." It only tells you what something generally looks like and not any specifics about the content. Pneumonia is a very general term for inflammation of the alveoli that results in the accumulation of fluid and other gunk. Alveoli, which rhymes with "bow tie," are the very little balloon-like sacs that form grape-like clusters at the end of your respiratory tract in your lungs as seen in this picture:
Illustration: Getty Images
GettyYour alveoli are pretty darn important. The air that you breathe in through your nose and mouth is supposed to be filled with oxygen. This air then goes down your windpipe into your bronchi all the way to fill up your alveoli. Your alveoli are interlaced with lots of blood vessels that carry blood that's been through your body. This blood has picked up a lot of carbon dioxide formed as waste products from your cells' metabolism. Your alveoli serve as a point of exchange like an eBay where some products are being picked up and others are being dumped, or rather offered. In this case, oxygen swaps into the blood and carbon dioxide swaps out into the alveoli to then be exhaled. Throw in some inflammation, fluid, and gunk, and the oxygen-carbon dioxide exchange may not work so well.
The severity of the pneumonia really depends on how extensive it is and what's causing it. Pneumonia is rarely a completely minor thing. You don't usually say, "oh, I went shopping, had a little pneumonia, took some selfies, texted with some friends, and had a smashed chickpea salad sandwich, so my day was uneventful, except for the smashed chickpea salad sandwich." Pneumonia typically requires medical attention. But it can range in severity up to being a life-threatening emergency.
Lots of things can cause pneumonia, including many different types of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. The only way to really tell what's causing the pneumonia is to take samples from either the lungs or the sputum and fluid produced by the lungs and check for different microorganisms. However, even this may not be able to tell for sure, because microrganisms are very, very small. It's not like trying to find a ferret in your lungs. Instead, doctors have to rely on different tests for known microorganisms. If the culprit is something very unusual or even completely new, then it may take a while for doctors to figure out what's to blame.
The Wuhan Municipal Health Commission has indicated that they have already ruled out more common causes of viral pneumonia such as influenza, avian influenza, and adenovirus infection. Some of the patients were from the Wuhan South China Seafood City, so authorities are looking into possible exposures to different sea creatures. Sea creatures may be tasty but they also can carry their share of different microbes.
The big concern is whether this virus, or whatever is causing the outbreak, can spread from human-to-human. Patients do remain in isolation at Wuhan medical institutions to prevent further spread, although the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission stated that at present there is "no clear evidence" that someone with this particular pneumonia can pass infections along to other humans. "No clear evidence" is not quite the same as "ruled out." For example, even there is "no clear evidence" that you had an accident in your pants, you may not be able to "rule it out." So all of this bears further watching.
With limited information, it is difficult to tell how concerned everyone should be about what's going on in Wuhan. This may not be SARS, which rhymes with "cars," stands for severe acute respiratory syndrome, is caused by a coronavirus, and can kill up to 50% of people who have it. But either way, a mysterious pneumonia is not something that anyone should take lightly, regardless of how severe it may be. Sometimes it is better to take the mystery out of life.
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Deadly Diseases
The Greek physician Hippocrates described the symptoms of pneumonia 2,400 years ago. But this affliction of the lungs still kills more people in the United States than any other infectious disease, taking 40,000 to 70,000 lives each year. It is the most common lethal nosocomial, or hospital-acquired, infection.
The term "pneumonia" describes a group of symptoms that may be caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites, or fungi. Pneumonia is a severe inflammation of the lungs in which the thin tissue around air spaces called alveoli swells and fills with fluid. Symptoms include shaking, chills, a rapidly rising fever, and sharp chest pain made worse by breathing and coughing. Pneumonia is a common cause of death among elderly people and young children whose immune systems are weakened or impaired in some way.
A common bacterium, Streptococcus pneumoniae, lives in the respiratory tract of 15 percent of the population without causing problems. It can spread pneumonia only if inhaled deeply into the lungs. The germ travels via droplets conveyed through coughing, sneezing, and even talking in close proximity. Bacterial pneumonia is most common in winter and spring, when upper respiratory tract infections are frequent. Pneumonia is also a common complication of influenza.
Most cases of bacterial pneumonia can be effectively treated with penicillin. Between 1936 and 1945, pneumonia death rates in the United States dropped approximately 40 percent with the greater availability of antibiotics. The more common viral pneumonia usually diminishes on its own, but all strains of pneumonia can be serious if neglected, and people should always seek medical supervision for their care.
Along with other acute respiratory infections, pneumonia is in a near tie with diarrheal diseases as a leading cause of death in children under 5 worldwide. It's estimated that pneumonia kills approximately two million children each year, with 40 percent of these deaths in Africa. More than two-thirds of pneumonia deaths among children in the developing world are caused by just two kinds of bacteria: Pneumoccoccus and Hemophilus influenzae.
Trained community health workers can dramatically reduce these deaths when they teach parents to identify the early signs of pneumonia: rapid breathing and violent shaking in the chest. At present, as many as two-thirds of children with acute respiratory infections are not treated by trained health providers. Even the simplest understanding of how to count the number of breaths a child takes per minute can help community health workers and parents recognize pneumonia and administer antibiotics if appropriate, or seek help at a clinic or hospital.
Time is often of the essence with pneumonia: Severe pneumonia can kill victims within hours as they literally drown in the fluids flooding their lungs. In Honduras, pneumonia treatment is part of a national, integrated community child care program that trains community volunteers to monitor children's growth, provide health education, and treat pneumonia and diarrhea.
A major contributing factor to respiratory infections is indoor air pollution. We tend to think of this type of air pollution as a problem in the industrialized world, but half of the world's people rely on dung, wood, crop waste, or coal for cooking and heating. These solid fuels cause high levels of particulate matter in the developing world that are 100 times higher than concentrations in the United States or Europe. Poor ventilation of smoke makes breathing difficult and exposes young children to severe respiratory infections. Reducing indoor air pollution may require switching to cleaner and more efficient fuels such as liquid petroleum, electricity, or solar power, and the cooperation of governments. Pneumonia is also a leading cause of immediate death among AIDS patients.
Vaccines against certain kinds of pneumonia exist for adults, but many high-risk patients do not routinely receive them. A relatively new pneumococcal vaccine for children called Prevnar, introduced by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, has proved effective in the United States, dramatically reducing disease incidence by approximately 80 percent. But the $50-per-dose U.S. Price makes it far too expensive to be widely used in the developing world. Another H Flu (Hib) vaccine has also been found to be effective in field testing. International health economists are searching for a better way to fund lifesaving vaccines than relying on the free market alone.
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