What is pneumonia?
Pneumonia is an infection in your one or both lungs. It’s usually caused by a bacterial, viruses, or fungi infection. It is serious infections in which causes the air sacs (which are called alveoli) in your lungs and may fill up with fluid or pus (purulent material).
That can make it hard for enough oxygen you breathe in to get into your bloodstream. The symptoms of this include cough with phlegm or pus, fever, chills, and difficulty breathing.
Who will be infected with pneumonia?
Anyone can be infected; it can range in seriousness from mild to life-threatening. It is most seriously affect people older than age 65, infants, and young children.
And also, mainly people with health problems or weakened immune systems might not be strong enough. Also, this will risk for lifestyle habits people like smoking cigarettes and drinking too much alcohol.
What are the Symptoms?
Your symptoms of pneumonia vary depending on factors such as the type of germ causing the infection, and your age and overall health. Mild signs and symptoms regularly are similar to those of a cold or flu, yet they last longer.
Signs and symptoms include
- Chest Pain – this can happen when you breathe or cough
- Cough – which may be dry, or produce thick yellow, greenish, brown or blood-stained phlegm (mucus)
- Feeling – Fatigue, Loss of appetite or low energy in your body
- Fever, sweating and shaking chills
- Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea (especially in small children)
- Shortness of breath – your breathing rapid and shallow, and you may feel breathless, even while resting
- Joint and muscle pain, headaches, wheezing
- Infants and newborns may not show any signs of the symptoms, but sometimes they may vomit, lack energy, or have trouble drinking or eating.
- Confusion or changes in mental awareness (this happen adults age 65 and older)
- Lower than normal body temperature (this happen adults older than age 65 and people with weak immune systems)
What are the Causes?
Several types of infectious germs can cause pneumonia. It can be caused by different types of bacteria, viruses, and fungi in the air we breathe. Your body generally prevents these germs from infecting your lungs. But sometimes these germs can overpower your body’s immune system, even if your health is usually good.
Common Causes
Bacteria
The most common type of bacterial pneumonia is Streptococcus pneumonia. Bacterial pneumonia can happen on its own or after you’ve had a cold or the flu. It might infect one part of the lung. When this happens, the condition called lobar pneumonia. Other types of bacterial pneumonia:
- Mycoplasma Pneumonia
- Chlamydophila Pneumonia
- Legionella Pneumophila
Viruses
Some of the viruses that cause colds and the flu, infect the upper respiratory tract can cause pneumonia. This viral pneumonia is usually mild. However, it can become very serious. The Influenza Virus is the most common cause of viral pneumonia in adults and children younger than 5 years. Example:
- Influenza (FLU)
- respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
Fungi
This type of pneumonia is the most common cause in people with weakened immune systems or chronic health problems, and in people who are exposed to large doses of certain fungi from contaminated soil or bird droppings.
What are the types of pneumonia?
The various types of germs and the source of infection help to categorize the type of pneumonia. The germs, such as a wide variety of bacteria, viruses, and fungi contained in the atmosphere can be the major cause of pneumonia. Recognizing the right cause of your pneumonia will be helpful for proper medication.
Community-acquired (CAP)
Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is the common type that occurs outside of the medical or institutional context.
Hospital-acquired (HAP)
Hospital-acquired pneumonia can be caused due to a hospital stay as you have been admitted for another illness. This type is crucial because the bacteria causing the illness can be resistant to antibiotics. The patients who are on ventilators and under intensive care are at a high risk of this pneumonia condition.
Aspiration pneumonia (AP)
These type of pneumonia affects when you inhale bacteria into your lungs from food, drink, vomit, or saliva. Aspiration pneumonia is likely to cause due to the disturbance of the gag reflex occurred by the brain injury, excessive use of alcohol and drugs, or when you have a swallowing problem.
Risk factors of pneumonia?
Anyone can cause infection, it can range in seriousness from mild to life-threatening, but certain groups do have a higher risk. There are several numbers of factors that increase the risk of developing pneumonia.
- If your Infant and Children 2 years old or younger.
- If your age 65 years and older.
- People who have weakened immune systems, who have HIV/AIDS, who receive chemotherapy or long-term steroids, or who’ve had an organ transplant.
- Cigarette smoking damages your lungs and viruses that cause pneumonia.
- Drug and alcohol abuse, which increases the risk of aspiration pneumonia.
- If you have a chronic disease such as Lung disease, Cystic fibrosis, Diabetes, Asthma, Sickle cell disease, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or heart disease, Kidney failure, or Liver condition this will high risk.
- Hospitalization, if you’re in a hospital intensive care unit, especially if you’re on a machine that helps you breathe.
What are the Complications?
Pneumonia can reason Complications, especially those in high-risk groups, such as chronic conditions, weakened immune systems, or diabetes.
Bacteremia (bacteria in the bloodstream)
This is a very serious complication. Bacteria can enter the bloodstream from your lungs and can spread the infection to other organs in your body. This can cause septic shock and potentially organ failure.
Difficult breathing
If you have trouble getting enough oxygen when you are breathing, you may need to hospitalized and use a ventilator (breathing machine) as soon as possible.
Pleural effusion (fluid accumulation around the lungs)
If pneumonia not treated, it can cause a development of fluid around your lungs in the pleural area leading to a pleural effusion. The pleura is a thin membrane that consists of two large, thin layers of tissue where one layer wraps outside of the lungs while the other layer covers the inner chest cavity. If this becomes infected, it should be drained through a chest tube or removes with surgery.
Lung abscesses
These are cavities inside in the lungs that contain pus. Usually, these situations can treat them with antibiotics. If not, sometimes, it may require surgery or drainage to remove the pus.
