Pneumonia has been a long existing illness. But even at that, some people do not know what causes it, or what its symptoms are. If you fall into that category, then this guide is for you, as we would be looking at the causes of Pneumonia and possibly things to do to avoid getting it.
What is pneumonia?
Pneumonia is an infection that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs. The air sacs may fill with fluid or pus (purulent material), causing cough with phlegm or pus, fever, chills, and difficulty breathing. A variety of organisms, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi, can cause pneumonia.
Pneumonia can range in seriousness from mild to life-threatening. It is most serious for infants and young children, people older than age 65, and people with health problems or weakened immune systems.
What’s the difference between viral and bacterial pneumonia?
While all pneumonia is inflammation caused by an infection in your lungs, you may have different symptoms depending on whether the root cause is a virus, bacteria, or fungi.
Bacterial pneumonia tends to be more common and more severe than viral pneumonia. It’s more likely to require a hospital stay. Providers treat bacterial pneumonia with antibiotics. Viral pneumonia causes flu-like symptoms and is more likely to resolve on its own. You usually don’t need specific treatment for viral pneumonia.
What are the types of pneumonia?
We categorize pneumonia by which pathogen (virus, bacteria, or fungi) caused it and how you got it — community-acquired, hospital-acquired, or ventilator-associated pneumonia.
Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP)
When you get pneumonia outside of a healthcare facility, it’s called community-acquired pneumonia. Causes include:
- Bacteria: Infection with Streptococcus pneumonia bacteria, also called pneumococcal disease, is the most common cause of CAP. Pneumococcal disease can also cause ear infections, sinus infections, and meningitis. Mycoplasma pneumonia bacteria causes atypical pneumonia, which usually has milder symptoms. Other bacteria that cause CAP include Haemophilus influenza, Chlamydia pneumonia, and Legionella (Legionnaires’ disease).
- Viruses: Viruses that cause the common cold, the flu (influenza), COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) can sometimes lead to pneumonia.
- Fungi (molds): Fungi, like Cryptococcus, Pneumocystis jirovecii, and Coccidioides, are uncommon causes of pneumonia. People with compromised immune systems are most at risk of getting pneumonia from a fungus.
- Protozoa: Rarely, protozoa like Toxoplasma cause pneumonia.
Hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP)
You can get hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) while in a hospital or healthcare facility for another illness or procedure. HAP is usually more serious than community-acquired pneumonia because it’s often caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria, like methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). This meaHAP can make you sicker and harder to treat.
Healthcare-associated pneumonia (HCAP)
You can get HCAP while in a long-term care facility (such as a nursing home) or outpatient, extended-stay clinics. Like hospital-acquired pneumonia, it’s usually caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP)
If you need to be on a respirator or breathing machine to help you breathe in the hospital (usually in the ICU), you’re at risk for ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). The same types of bacteria as community-acquired pneumonia, as well as the drug-resistant kinds that cause hospital-acquired pneumonia, cause VAP.
Symptoms of pneumonia
Pneumonia symptoms can be mild to life-threatening. They can include:
- coughing that may produce phlegm (mucus)
- fever
- sweating or chills
- shortness of breath that happewhile doing normal activities, or even while resting
- chest pain that’s worse when you breathe or cough
- feelings of tiredness or fatigue
- loss of appetite
- nausea or vomiting
- headaches
Other symptoms can vary according to your age and general health:
- Infants may appear to have no symptoms, but sometimes they may vomit, lack energy, or have trouble drinking or eating.
- Children under 5 years old may have fast breathing or wheezing.
- Older adults may have milder symptoms. They can also experience confusion or a lower-than-normal body temperature.
Causes of Pneumonia
Bacteria, viruses, or fungi can cause pneumonia.
Common causes include:
- Flu viruses
- Cold viruses
- RSV virus (the top cause of pneumonia in babies age 1 or younger)
- Bacteria called Streptococcus pneumonia and Mycoplasma pneumonia
Some people who are in the hospital get “ventilator-associated pneumonia” if they got the infection while using a ventilator, a machine that helps you breathe.
If you get pneumonia while you’re in a hospital and aren’t on a ventilator, that’s called “hospital-acquired” pneumonia. But most people get “community-acquired pneumonia,” which meathey didn’t get it in a hospital.
Pneumonia Diagnosis
Your doctor will start with questioabout your symptoms and your medical histories, 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:
- Blood tests to look for sigof a bacterial infection
- A chest X-ray is to find the infection in your lungs and how far it’s spread
- Pulse oximetry to measure the level of oxygen in your blood
- A sputum test to check the fluid in your lungs for the cause of an infection
If your symptoms started in the hospital or you have other health problems, your doctor might give you more tests, such as:
- An arterial blood gas test to measure the oxygen in a small amount of blood taken from one of your arteries
- Bronchoscopy to check your airways for blockages or other problems
- A CT scan to get a more detailed image of your lungs
- A pleural fluid culture, in which the doctor removes a small amount of fluid from the tissues around your lungs to look for bacteria that might cause pneumonia
How is pneumonia treated?
Treatment for pneumonia depends on the cause — bacterial, viral or fungal — and how serious your case is. In many cases, the cause can’t be determined and treatment is focused on managing symptoms and making sure your condition doesn’t get worse.
Some treatments may include:
- Antibiotics: Antibiotics treat bacterial pneumonia. They can’t treat a virus but a provider may prescribe them if you have a bacterial infection at the same time as a virus.
- Antifungal medications: Antifungals can treat pneumonia caused by a fungal infection.
- Antiviral medications: Viral pneumonia usually isn’t treated with medication and can go away on its own. A provider may prescribe antivirals such as oseltamivir (Tamiflu®), zanamivir (Relenza®), or peramivir (Rapivab®) to reduce how long you’re sick and how sick you get from a virus.
- Oxygen therapy: If you’re not getting enough oxygen, a provider may give you extra oxygen through a tube in your nose or a mask on your face.
- IV fluids: Fluids delivered directly to your vein (IV) treat or prevent dehydration.
- Draining of fluids: If you have a lot of fluid between your lungs and chest wall (pleural effusion), a provider may drain it. This is done with a catheter or surgery.
Complications
Pneumonia may cause complications, especially in people with weakened immune systems or chronic conditions, such as diabetes.
Complicatiomay include:
- Worsened chronic conditions. If you have certain preexisting health conditions, pneumonia could make them worse. These conditioinclude congestive heart failure and emphysema. For certain people, pneumonia increases their risk of having a heart attack.
- Bacteria from the pneumonia infection may spread to your bloodstream. This can lead to dangerously low blood pressure, septic shock, and, in some cases, organ failure.
- Lung abscesses. These are cavities in the lungs that contain pus. Antibiotics can treat them. Sometimes they may require drainage or surgery to remove the pus.
- Impaired breathing. You may have trouble getting enough oxygen when you breathe. You may need to use a ventilator.
- Acute respiratory distress syndrome. This is a severe form of respiratory failure. It’s a medical emergency.
- Pleural effusion. If your pneumonia isn’t treated, you may develop fluid around your lungs in your pleura, called pleural effusion. The pleura are thin membranes that line the outside of your lungs and the inside of your rib cage. The fluid may become infected and need to be drained.
- Kidney, heart, and liver damage. These orgamay be damaged if they don’t receive enough oxygen, or if there’s an overreaction of the immune system to the infection.
- In some cases, pneumonia can be fatal.
How can I prevent pneumonia?
The best way to prevent pneumonia is to get vaccinated against bacteria and viruses that commonly cause it. There are also everyday precautioyou can take to help reduce your risk of pneumonia.
Vaccines for pneumonia
There are two types of vaccines (shots) that prevent pneumonia caused by pneumococcal bacteria. Similar to a flu shot, these vaccines won’t protect against all types of pneumonia, but if you do get sick, it’s less likely to be severe.
Pneumococcal vaccines: Pneumovax23® and Prevnar13® protect against pneumonia bacteria. They’re each recommended for certain age groups or those with increased risk for pneumonia. Ask your healthcare provider which vaccine would be appropriate for you or your loved ones.
Vaccinatioagainst viruses: As certain viruses can lead to pneumonia, getting vaccinated against COVID-19 and the flu can help reduce your risk of getting pneumonia.
Childhood vaccinations: If you have children, ask their healthcare provider about other vaccines they should get. Several childhood vaccines help prevent infectiocaused by bacteria and viruses that can lead to pneumonia.
Other ways to reduce your risk of pneumonia
In addition to getting vaccinated, you can reduce your risk of getting and spreading pneumonia with some healthy habits:
- Quit smoking and avoid secondhand smoke. Smoking damages your lungs and makes you more likely to get an infection.
- Wash your hands with soap and water before eating, before handling food, and after using the restroom. If soap isn’t available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid close contact and sharing items with other people if either of you has an infectious disease such as the flu, a cold, or COVID-19.
- If you have to stay in a hospital or other healthcare facility, don’t be afraid to ask your providers about how to reduce your risk of getting an infection during your stay.
- Eat a healthy diet, exercise, and get enough rest.
- Get treated for any other infectioor health conditioyou may have. These conditiocould weaken your immune system, which could increase your chance of pneumonia.
- Avoid excessive alcohol consumption.
Conclusion
To conclude, pneumonia can be prevented if you abide by the rules provided in this guide. Also, your doctor should be informed immediately if you notice the signs.