Preventing Pneumonia By Understanding The Causes

by Ethan Armitage

Before the discovery of antibiotics, pneumonia was one of the leading causes of death among humans. Nowadays, it can be easily be cured with only a few pills prescribed by a doctor. However, this condition is hard to prevent so it can still create problems for many people. It is important for people to understand what causes this condition in order to avoid it.

Pneumonia is an infection of the tissues from one or both lungs, caused by bacteria or viruses. This condition is contagious because it spreads through the air we breathe, thus making it difficult to avoid. Also, the microorganisms that cause this condition can be found in food and drink.

The first symptoms of are intense coughing and sneezing. Through coughing and sneezing, a very large number of viruses are spread in the air on a large area. What can be done in this case is to cover your mouth and try not to breathe that air or ask the person who sneezed or coughed to cover his or her nose or moth.

The most often met bacteria that cause pneumonia are streptococcus, staphylococcus and haemophilus.

Pneumonia can be acquired at any time and by anyone in the daily duties, at work, at school or at shopping. Yet, a higher risk of exposure to pneumonia is represented by hospitals or exposure to certain chemicals, poison or smoke.

The risks are increased for those people that smoke, drink alcohol, use drugs, have an impaired immune system or are older than 60 years. Pneumonia can also be fatal to those that already suffer from another condition that damages the defense mechanism of the human body.

Because pneumonia can be contacted anywhere in the daily life, it is best to avoid infected people and consult a doctor when the first symptoms appear and don't respond to normal medications. If the condition is discovered in its early stages, it can easily be cured with antibiotics and won't require hospitalization or home resting.


About the Author
Learn the pneumonia symptoms for a diagnosis of pneumonia , good walking pneumonia overview available.

Pneumonia and its causes, risk factors and diagnosis

by Groshan Fabiola

There are are mechanisms to protect your lungs from infection at each stage of the respiratory stage, but because you are very much exposed to viruses and bacteria sometimes these mechanisms fail in protect your respiratory system and you develop pneumonia. The infectious agents are attacked by white blood cells and all the process determins inflammation and difficult breathing.

Varius types of pneumonia include: Community-acquired pneumonia that is aquired at school, work or the gym which may be mistaken with the acute eosinophilic pneumonia developed by soldiers. Nosocomial pneumonia which occurs in hospitalized people, especially in those who are on a mechanical ventilator, are in the intensive care unit or have a compromised immune system. This type is severe especially in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases or HIV/AIDS.

Aspiration pneumonia which has been described in a brain injury or other condition affects your normal gag reflex, when the content of the stomach is inhaled in your lungs after vomiting. Opportunistic pneumonia appears in people with compromised immune systems, with AIDS, sickle cell disease, other conditions that impair the immune system. For example, P. carinii pneumonia that almost never occurs inhealthy people.

Risk factors Persons aged 65 and older, very young children, persons with immune deficiency diseases as HIV/AIDS and chronic illnesses, removed spleen, impaired immune system. It has been proved that smoke and abuse alcohol are dangerous too. People who require mechanical ventilation are particularly at risk because the breathing tube, patients hospitalized in an intensive care unit, exposion to certain chemicals or pollutants, toxic fumes. Exposion to fungus as: Coccidioidomycosis, found in the US, Southern California and the desert Southwest or histoplasmosis moslty found in Ohio and Mississippi River valleys.

When to seek medical advice if you experience shortness of breath, chest pain that fluctuates, cough, an unexplained fever with chills and sweats. If you have heart failure or lung ailments, pneumonia can prove fatal in as little as 24 hours.

Screening and diagnosis After your doctor exams you and diagnosis the pneumonia you will be sent to chest X-rays and if the image is not clear enough then you may have a more sophisticated imaging test known as a computerized tomography (CT) scan, which takes a series of computer-directed X-rays. Blood tests are necesary and sometimes the examination of your phlegm.

Complications

In young and healthy people your pneumonia is treated with succes, but with the age and if your health is deteriorated: heart failure or lung ailments pneumonia is harder to cure. You may develop the following complications: Bacteremia if the infection invades your bloodstream this way it spreads quickly to the other organs, interferes with your ability to breathe because inflammates your lungs. Pleural effusion occurs when sometimes fluid accumulates between the thin, transparent membrane (pleura) covering your lungs and the chest wall.

About the Author
You can find great content regarding pneumonia causes, pneumonia symptoms and many more by visiting http://www.pneumonia-center.com/

Possible pneumonia causes

by Groshan Fabiola

There are many possible causes of pneumonia. The main cause and also the most common cause of pneumonia is bacteria. However, other infections caused by different microbial organisms can also cause pneumonia. Sometimes there it is impossible to determine what caused pneumonia.

Here is a list with some of the microbial organisms that are to blame in cases of pneumonia: - bacteria: these too can be categorized by the procedure that is used to see the bacteria under a microscope. The stains that are seen under the microscope then tell us what type of bacteria is the one that cause pneumonia. There are two main types: gram positive bacteria and gram negative bacteria. The gram positive bacteria that cause pneumonia appear colored blue on the strain.

The most common gram positive bacteria that cause pneumonia are:

- streptococcus pneumonia: this is the most common of all pneumonia causes; researchers believed that this type of bacteria was the cause of almost ninety five percent of all pneumonia cases that were community- acquired; however, recent studies have shown that in fact this particular bacteria only accounts for less then thirty percent of all pneumonia cases that are community acquired;

- staphylococcus aureus is another gram- positive bacteria that is second on the most common causes of pneumonia list; however, this type of bacteria sits at the top of the list when it comes to pneumonia cases that are acquired in the hospital; this is rather uncommon in adults that are healthy, but it can develop almost five days after a person has suffered from a condition that has weakened his/ her defense system;

The gram- negative bacteria that cause pneumonia are colored pink. These type of bacteria that cause pneumonia are the most common agents of infection in hospitals. Some of the main gram- negative bacteria that cause pneumonia are:

- haemophilus influenzae: this generally affects people that suffer from chronic lung problems or they affect older people;

- klebisiella pneumoniae is the main bacteria responsible for pneumonia in people that are alcoholics or people who suffer from physical debilities;

- pseudomonas aeruginos is the most common bacteria that cause pneumonia in people that suffer from severe or chronic lung problems;

- neisseria meningitidis is another bacteria that is thought to play a very big role in pneumonia patients; this is one of the most important causes in developing meningitis, but recent studies have shown that this bacteria is also responsible for pneumonia;

About the Author
You can find great content regarding walking pneumonia, walking pneumonia symptoms and many moreby visiting http://www.pneumonia-center.com/

Diagnose and treatment for pneumonia

by Groshan Fabiola

Pneumonia is the infection and inflammation of the small alveolus inside the lungs and of the surrounding tissues. Pneumonia can be a cause of death for persons with additional chronic conditions and to pneumonia sufferers in developing countries. Pneumonia cases occurred inside the community are usually caused by the germ Streptococcus Pneumoniae, while pneumonias appeared in hospitals or institutions are mostly caused by Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella or Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The severity of the symptoms and the required treatment depend a great deal on the type of the causing agent.

A series of factors can expose and predispose certain persons to developing pneumonia. Some medications, the age of the subject or some diseases can lead to the deprimation of the immune system and increase the susceptibility to pneumonia caused by abnormal microorganisms. Other conditions like alcoholism, smoking, diabetes, heart failure also predispose to pneumonia as well as extreme ages, debilitation, paralyzes or unconscious estates.

Pneumonia can appear after direct inhalation of infectious agents like bacteria, viruses or fungi or after the migration of the infection with the bloodstream from the initial localization. Pneumonia can occur after surgical interventions, after injuries especially chest injuries when the patient is unable to cough and mucus retention is possible. The aspiration pneumonia appears when different food, liquid or dust particles are inhaled from the mouth or when a bacterium is stuck inside the respiratory tract due to an obstruction.

The primer symptom of pneumonia is productive cough resulting in different amounts of mucus. Additional symptoms might be fever, chills, chest pains and breathing shortness. Auditory, pneumonia can be detected by the doctor listening to the patient's lungs with a stethoscope. Pneumonia produces particular sounds caused by the presence of inflammatory cells inside the air tubes usually filled with air. A certain diagnose can be established with a chest X-ray that shows usually a dense white patch in place of the involved tissue. Pneumonia diagnose can also be established by help of sputum and blood specimen culture.

Some types of pneumonia can be prevented by vaccination against the Influenza virus and against the bacterium Haemophillus Influenzae. Persons at high risk of developing pneumonia can prevent it by making physical exercises and breathing exercises to fasten the clearance of the secretions.

Bacterial pneumonia is treated with antibiotics and the medication is started even before the exact agent is identified in order to prevent possible complications. Some patients with breathing difficulties require additional oxygen and assisted breathing. Low severity cases can be treated at home by oral medication but more severe symptoms make hospitalization necessary and the intravenous administration of antibiotics.

Antibiotics have no benefic effect on pneumonias caused by viruses or fungi.


About the Author
Great resources can be found regarding walking pneumonia, walking pneumonia symptoms and many moreby visiting http://www.pneumonia-center.com/

About pneumonia symptoms and treatment

by Groshan Fabiola

Every year there are people that die of pneumonia, especially older people, those with chronic illnesses or impaired immune systems, but also affects young and healthy people. There are many types of pneumonia with various signs and symptoms that usually appear after a flu or a complicated cold. Pneumonia occurs suddenly with chest pain, chills, fever, cough and shortness of breath. Antibiotics are used to treat the most common forms of bacterial pneumonias, antibiotic-resistant pneumonias are a growing problem.

Signs and symptoms

It is not easy to have a cristal clear diagnosis of pneumonia, because often is mistaken with colds and flus. Bacterial pneumonia There are many bacteria that cause pneumonia and you may develop it if you had a viral upper respiratory infection such as influenza, in older people and people with a chronic illness or compromised immune system the symtoms are not that severe and evident as in young people which have shaking chills, sweating, a high fever, chest pain and cough that produces thick, greenish or yellow phlegm.

Viral pneumonia Viral pneumonia is more often during winter time and is caused by a a dozen different viruses. Its first symptoms are: muscle pain and fatigue, headache, fever, a dry cough all those symptoms are more severe in people with cardiovascular or lung disease. When having a viral pneumonia you are susceptible of developing a secondary bacterial pneumonia, with the progression of the disease you may experience breathless and a cough that produces a whitish phlegm.

Mycoplasma Pneumonia Mycoplasma is a tiny bacterium that causes symptoms similar to those caused by other bacterial and viral infections but more mild and flu like symptoms. A "walking pneumonia," is caused by mycoplasma, you may not even know you had pneumonia. Mycoplasma pneumonia spreads easily and affects children, young adults in community. Gives good results if treated with the appropiate antibiotics.

Chlamydia

Chlamydia pneumonia is common among school-age children and causes similar symptoms with those of mycoplasma pneumonia. Has a good response in antibiotic therapy, the chlamydia bacterium that causes pneumonia is different from the one that causes sexually transmitted infections. Pneumonia may be caused by some types of fungi which spread through bird droppings, with symptoms of acute pneumonia and chronic pneumonia. Pneumocystis carinii causes infection and pneumonia in people with AIDS. It also affects people with organ transplants, chemotherapy, on corticosteroids or other immune-suppressing drugs. Signs and symptoms include a cough that doesn't go away, trouble breathing and fever. Some tests need to be done: laboratory test results, X-ray findings, demographics. Home care is possible even in severe cases if the caregivers give the chest therapy and antibiotics intravenous and if good support and home nursing services are assured.

About the Author
You can find great content regarding pneumonia symptoms, pneumonia vaccine and many moreby visiting http://www.pneumonia-center.com/

How do people "catch pneumonia"?

Some cases of pneumonia are contracted by breathing in small droplets that contain the organisms that can cause pneumonia. These droplets get into the air when a person infected with these germs coughs or sneezes. In other cases, pneumonia is caused when bacteria or viruses that are normally present in the mouth, throat, or nose inadvertently enter the lung. During sleep, it is quite common for people to aspirate secretions from the mouth, throat, or nose. Normally, the body's reflex response (coughing back up the secretions) and immune system will prevent the aspirated organisms from causing pneumonia. However, if a person is in a weakened condition from another illness, a severe pneumonia can develop. People with recent viral infections, lung disease, heart disease, and swallowing problems, as well as alcoholics, drug users, and those who have suffered a stroke or seizure are at higher risk for developing pneumonia than the general population.

Once organisms enter the lungs, they usually settle in the air sacs of the lung where they rapidly grow in number. This area of the lung then becomes filled with fluid and pus as the body attempts to fight off the infection.

Pneumonia Types And Characteristic Symptoms

by Ethan Armitage

Pneumonia is a condition of the respiratory system, it is an infectious disease and can affect one or both lungs of the patient. Two hundred years ago, pneumonia used to be a leading cause of death but now it can be treated easily with antibiotics, as the infection is caused by viruses and bacteria. Still, pneumonia may represent a danger for patients with the immune system affected or for old people.

The general symptoms of pneumonia are coughing, fever and chest pain. Other than that, the symptoms vary depending on the causes of the condition and on many other factors.

Viral pneumonia is caused by viruses' infections and it represents more than half the cases of pneumonia in the world. This condition's symptoms are:

* - Dry cough * - Chest pain followed by headache and fever * - A general state of weakness and tiredness

For the bacterial pneumonia the symptoms are:

* - High fever * - Coldness accompanied by accelerated heart beat and shivers * - Coughing eliminates a green liquid * - The skin turns bluish

The people with a higher risk for encountering pneumonia are the children and the elder people. Old people usually encounter pneumonia caused by viruses or bacteria while people under the age of 40 are usually affected by mycoplasmal pneumonia. Although this last form of pneumonia is considered a mild form, it is highly contagious and it can generate complications if left untreated.

Mycoplasmal pneumonia shows symptoms like:

* - Sore throat * - Dry cough * - Fever * - Painful articulations * - General state of tiredness

In the cases of children infection, pneumonia can be quite disturbing generating an uncomfortable general state, fever, breathlessness and bluish skin.

When a person discovers more than 2 symptoms of pneumonia, he or she should immediately consult a doctor and get a treatment because this condition can aggravate and lead to serious complications. If it is discovered in its early stages, pneumonia can be easily treated at home with antibiotics, but in the advanced stages, hospitalization is required.

About the Author
Learn the pneumonia symptoms for a diagnosis of pneumonia , good walking pneumonia overview available.

Things to know about pneumonia

by Groshan Fabiola

The inflammation of your lungs is known in medical terms as pneumonia. This is the result of bacterial infection or a virus infection. A person usually develops pneumonia when his/ her defense system is weak, mostly this weakness coming from an upper respiratory infection or just a cold or the flu. However, you have to keep in mind that these conditions do not cause pneumonia, just make you more likely to develop it. The flu, a cold or an upper respiratory infection alter your mucous blanket and thus they encourage the growth of bacteria that ultimately leads to pneumonia. These are the most important factors that lead to pneumonia, however there are also some other conditions or factors that can have pneumonia as a result.

There are several ways to define pneumonia. Depending on its location in your lungs or the origin of the infection, there are different names and ways of treatment. Pneumonia can be defined in two ways when it comes to the location of this disease in you lings: there is lombar pneumonia, that happens in one lobe of your lungs and you can also suffer from broncho pneumonia, that tends to be uneven. Pneumonia can also be defined by the origin of your infection. In this case there are two main categories that can predict what are the organisms most likely to be the culprits. The first category is: community acquired, that means that pneumonia is contacted outside hospitals. In this cases, pneumonia is usually the result of a viral infection of your respiratory system. This type of pneumonia affects almost four million people every year. The main cause of this pneumonia type is a bacteria caused streptococcus. Other bacteria like mycoplasma or chlamydia are also some of the possible causes of pneumonia that is community acquired. The second category of pneumonia is: hospital acquired. This type of pneumonia is also known as nosocomial pneumonia. People that are in hospital become very vulnerable to negative bacteria and these are the main causes of pneumonia in this case.

Moreover, there are also different ways of disease process that consequently lead to pneumonia. In most of the cases, a person inhales the bacteria that causes pneumonia and this enters the lungs. However, one can also aspire the bacteria that is found in his/ her mouth, usually when a gag reflex is repressed. Another way that one can get pneumonia is from the infections that he/ she has in other organs. The bacteria travels through your bloodstream and reaches the lungs causing pneumonia.

About the Author
You can find great content regarding pneumonia causes, pneumonia symptoms and many more by visiting http://www.pneumonia-center.com/