#IDFridays Week 39: Pneumonia

Home #IDFridays #IDFridays Week 39: Pneumonia

Photo Credits: Africa Medicare, Daily Health Post

Name
Pneumonia

Transmission

Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs
It is a common complication of respiratory infections especially the flu
- Our lungs have small sacs called alveoli which fill up with air when we breathe
- With pneumonia, the sacs become filled with pus and fluid, making breathing painful and limiting the body’s ability to take in oxygen
It can be caused by viruses, bacteria, or fungi and it spreads in several ways:
- The viruses and bacteria that cause it can infect the lungs when they are inhaled from the environment
- It can spread from person to person via air-borne droplets from an infected person’s cough or sneeze
- It may also spread through an infected person’s blood

Geography
Worldwide (most prevalent in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa)

Incubation Period
1 – 3 days depending on the cause

Signs and Symptoms

Common symptoms:

In infants, symptoms may include:

The symptoms of viral and bacterial pneumonia are similar, but can vary slightly:

Diagnosis

Doctors cannot always identify the cause of pneumonia
Common diagnostic methods include chest examination, blood tests, testing a sample of lung fluid (sputum)

Treatment

Treatment depends on the type and severity of the infection
If the cause is bacteria, it can be treated with antibiotics
Cough medicine, pain relievers, and fever reducers are also used to treat symptoms

Prognosis

Recovery time can vary greatly based on age and health condition, but most people fully recover within 3 months
- In the elderly or people with other lung problems, recovery may take more than 12 weeks
If the infection leads to hospitalization, mortality may be as high as 10%, and if intensive care is required it may reach 30–50% (pneumonia is the most common hospital-acquired infection that leads to death)
Even with treatment some people may experience complications including respiratory failure, blood poisoning, collapsed lung, and kidney complications

Prevention: What Can You Do?

Wash your hands regularly
Clean surfaces that many people touch often
Be careful to cough or sneeze into a tissue or into your sleeve to prevent the bacteria/virus from spreading
Avoid smoking or inhaling smoke
Get vaccinated for Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b), pneumococcus, measles and whooping cough (pertussis)

Pneumonia In the News