Respiratory Disease

Pneumonia

What is pneumonia?

Prevention of Pneumonia

Influenza vaccine: Pneumonia is a common complication of influenza (flu), so getting a flu shot every fall is good prevention for pneumonia.

Pneumococcal vaccine: To help fight the pneumococcal bacterium a vaccine is available for those at risk, usually persons who:

have chronic illnesses such as lung disease, heart disease, kidney disorders, sickle cell anemia or diabetes.
are recovering from severe illness.
are in nursing homes or other chronic care facilities.
are age 65 or older.

Pneumonia often is a result of ordinary respiratory infections; therefore, an important preventive measure is to be alert to any symptoms of respiratory trouble that linger more than a few days.

Proper diet, good hygiene, rest, regular exercise, and not smoking help increase resistance to respiratory illnesses, as well as promote fast recovery when illness does occur.

Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lungs caused by bacteria, viruses or chemical irritants. It is a serious infection or inflammation in which the air sacs fill with pus and other liquid.

Lobar pneumonia affects one or more sections (lobes) of the lungs.
Bronchial pneumonia (or bronchopneumonia) affects patches throughout both lungs.

What are the different types of pneumonia?

The main types of pneumonia are:

Bacterial pneumonia is caused by various bacteria. The Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most common bacterium that causes bacterial pneumonia.

It usually occurs when the body is weakened in some way, such as illness, malnutrition, old age or impaired immunity, and the bacteria are able to work their way into the lungs. Bacterial pneumonia can affect all ages, but those at greater risk are:

alcoholics

debilitated

post-operative patients

persons with respiratory diseases or viral infections

persons who have weakened immune systems

The symptoms of bacterial pneumonia include:

shaking chills

chattering teeth

severe chest pain

cough that produces rust-colored or greenish mucus

high temperature

heavy perspiring

rapid pulse

rapid breathing

bluish color to lips and nailbeds

confused mental state or delirium

Viral pneumonia is caused by various viruses and accounts for half of all cases of pneumonia.

Early symptoms of viral pneumonia are the same as those of bacterial pneumonia, which may be followed by increasing breathlessness and a worsening of the cough.

Viral pneumonias may make a person susceptible to bacterial pneumonia.

Mycoplasma pneumonia has somewhat different symptoms and physical signs. It is caused by mycoplasmas, the smallest free-living agents of disease in humankind, which have the characteristics of both bacteria and viruses, but which are not classified as either. They generally cause a mild, widespread pneumonia that affect all age groups.

Symptoms include a severe cough that may produce some mucus.

Other less common pneumonias may be caused by inhaling food, liquid, gases, dust, or fungi.

Treatment for pneumonia:

Specific treatment will be determined by your doctor(s) based on:

your age, overall health and medical history
extent of the disease
your tolerance for specific medications, procedures or therapies
expectations for the course of the disease
your opinion or preference

Treatment may include antibiotics for bacterial pneumonia. Antibiotics may also speed recovery from mycoplasma pneumonia and some special cases. There is no clearly effective treatment for viral pneumonia, which usually heals on its own.

Other treatment may include appropriate diet, oxygen therapy, and pain and cough medication.

This page was last updated on: January 18, 2008.

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