Pneumonia is a generic term used to describe several diseases in which an infection or a chemical cause inflammation of the alveoli. These cavities are filled with fluid or pus, preventing the lungs to transfer oxygen efficiently into the bloodstream.
Before the advent of antibiotics in the 1930s, pneumonia was a leading causes of death. Although it has become easier to treat, pneumonia remains a public health problem.
Pneumonia comes in many different forms with a spectrum of severity varies widely. There are basically four types:
the community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), is the form of pneumonia the most common. It is caused by bacteria, viruses and other acquired outside a hospital or other health care settings;
pneumonia hospital (PH) or nosocomial (NP) said at least 48 hours after admission to a hospital. It can be triggered by bacteria or other organisms different from those usually are the cause of community-acquired pneumonia. Hospital pneumonia is usually more serious than community-acquired pneumonia because the presence of bacteria and organisms can make it more difficult to treat, and because it strikes people are already sick;
aspiration pneumonia is caused by the inhalation of liquids or other irritants in the lungs. Aspiration pneumonia is the most common is caused by the inhalation of the contents of the stomach after vomiting. People who have health problems (eg. A stroke, Lou Gehrig's disease) that affect swallowing are more susceptible to this type of pneumonia;
Opportunistic pneumonia reached the people who have a weakened immune system (eg. by AIDS, cancer, organ transplant). The organisms that cause these infections do not normally affect people enjoying healthy immune systems.
The healthy people aged under 65 will rarely serious complications following pneumonia. People with chronic lung disease or whose immune systems are generally at higher risk of pneumonia.
Causes
The most common causes of pneumonia are caused by infections:
bacteria - the most common cause of pneumonia in adults;
viruses - virus pneumonia especially for children;
mycoplasma - these microorganisms to the characteristics of viruses and bacteria cause less severe infections;
microorganisms opportunistic - a threat to people with weakened immune systems (eg. Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in AIDS patients).
Most forms of pneumonia are transmitted in the same way as influenza or the common cold, that is to say by the contact of hands and by tiny droplets from the mouth and nose. In fact, the same viruses that cause colds and flu can also cause pneumonia. When these viruses infect the throat, sinuses or upper respiratory tract, it is a cold. If the virus reaches the lungs is pneumonia.
Bacteria that are present at all times in the throat (or pharynx) cause many people some of the most serious forms of pneumonia. Under normal conditions, the immune system effectively combat these bacteria. By cons, if the immune system is weakened by a virus in the pharynx, these bacteria can invade the respiratory tract. Bacterial pneumonia is most often caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus).
Most pneumonia affecting infants and young children are caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The incidence of this disease is increasing sharply in December and January, but it does not life threatening. Viruses cause about half of all cases of pneumonia.
Mycoplasmas cause a disease called "walking pneumonia", so called because the people affected are not confined to bed.
A fungus called Pneumocystis carinii is not normally found only in people with AIDS. Under normal conditions, this fungus is harmless, but in people infected with HIV, it can cause an aggressive and often fatal pneumonia.
In addition to infectious diseases, pneumonia can be caused by chemicals that enter the lungs and cause inflammation. Aspiration pneumonia is caused by accidental aspiration of food, vomiting or stomach acid into the lungs. The inhaled substance may become infected, or it may inflame the lungs and cause a consolidation (the alveoli fill with fluid).
The risk of pneumonia is higher in the following cases:
younger than 1 year or greater than 65;
smoking;
the presence of a cold or flu;
a weakened immune system due to cancer treatment, an HIV infection or other illness;
surgical treatment;
an addiction to alcohol;
a chronic condition like heart disease, lung disease or diabetes;
chronic lung disease, eg. asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Symptoms
Symptoms of pneumonia vary depending on its cause and the general health of the person affected.
Pneumonia always causes a cough, and it is often productive, that is to say, it is accompanied by sputum. Sputum of a reddish brown, green or yellow can be a sign of bacterial infection. Clear and whitish sputum is a possible sign of infection with a mycoplasma.
In bacterial pneumonia, the lungs, in whole or in part, slowly fill with liquid, this is called consolidation. Some bacterial lung infections settle in a few hours. There is usually a high fever that sometimes reached 40.9 ° C (105 ° F).
Here are some other possible symptoms of bacterial pneumonia:
shortness of breath;
tremors,
chills,
a headache,
delirium (the confusion),
a very bad breath,
muscle pain,
weakness,
a chest pain, especially deep breathing,
blue lips and nail beds due to lack of oxygen in the blood.
Viral pneumonia does not cause fluid accumulation in the lungs, it causes more inflammation of the lung tissue itself. It is usually less severe than bacterial pneumonia. Pneumonia caused by influenza viruses can be very serious and is an exception to this rule.
Viral pneumonia produced the characteristic symptoms include:
dry cough,
little sputum,
headaches,
muscle pain,
weakness and fatigue,
moderate fever, up to 39 ° C (102 ° F),
shortness of breath;
blue lips and nail beds.
Treatment
Bacterial pneumonia can be treated with antibiotics, as well as pneumonia caused by mycoplasma. It is extremely important to take antibiotics exactly as prescribed by your doctor and complete the full treatment, even if you feel better. There is no cure for most viral infections, we must simply wait until the body gets rid of. Your doctor will advise you on ways to relieve the symptoms of viral pneumonia. Fungal infections can be treated with antifungal medications.
There are four ways to prevent pneumonia. The first is to adopt a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, stay physically fit and get enough sleep. These measures help to preserve the strength of the immune system.
The second way is vaccination. There is no vaccine against most forms of pneumonia, but the two most common forms are preventable with vaccines: a vaccine against the flu virus and the vaccine against pneumococcus. In Canada, it is recommended that the entire population be vaccinated against influenza each year. In some provinces, influenza vaccine is administered free of charge. In addition, a new vaccine against pneumococcus has been developed to protect children against Streptococcus pneumoniae and is now recommended as part of the primary vaccination in infants.
The third way to prevent pneumonia is to consult the doctor when coughing continues to deteriorate after three or four days. Consult your doctor immediately if your sputum contains blood or have an unusual color or smell. While the initial disease was a common cold, bacteria can easily cause a secondary infection resulting in a severe pneumonia.
The fourth way to prevent the spread of viruses and bacteria that can cause pneumonia is to wash your hands thoroughly and frequently.
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