Pneumonia Symptoms and Treatment - children, adults and old people

Pneumonia Vaccine (I)

2011-12-04T10:39:00.000-08:00

It isn’t easy having a hard time breathing, coughing and getting a fever most especially if it gets worst, resulting for an individual to be very sick and end up in the hospital. Aside from being costly, it wastes a lot of one’s time, leaving one’s work and important tasks unattended. As the technology advances and man’s urge continuously strikes to its highest curiosity, mankind develops a lot of helpful and sustaining materials for its survival. Man have created a vaccine to cure and escape from the misery of a lung infection that results for a person to be very sick; Pneumonia vaccine.

What Is The Pneumonia vaccine?

A pneumonia vaccine provides protection for one individual against most of the bacteria that leads to pneumococcal pneumonia and pneumococcal diseases. Pneumococcal bacteria attacks the different parts of the body, when it attacks the lungs, it results in pneumonia, bacterium in the blood and meningitis in the brain. One can get pneumonia anywhere, at school or at work likely to have it after a cold or flu.

Thus, it is preferred to take and have the vaccine for protection and lessen the tendency of having pneumonia. The vaccine is safe and it works giving results that could protect an individual against the bacteria for about 10 years. Experts say that for the adults the effects are best felt when taken by age 50 to 65 yrs. Of age but one can have a shot of the vaccine any time.

Bacterial Causes of Pneumonia

2010-01-30T18:38:00.000-08:00

Pneumonia can be caused by viruses, bacteria, or fungus. Bacterial causes of pneumonia are most common. The most common typical bacteria that are found in pneumonia are Streptococcus Pneumoniae, Haemophilus Influenzae, Chlamydia Trachomatis, Mycoplasma Pneumoniae, and Legionella Pneumophila.

Streptococcus Pneumoniae: This is a gram-positive bacterium. It is catalase negative and alpha-hemolytic (which means that it somewhat likes to grow on blood agar). They are in the shape of elongated cocci. Usually, they are seen as pairs called diplococci, but may also occur singly or in short chains. S. Pneumonia are normal inhabitants of the human respiratory tract. Disease happens only when the host is immunocompromised. It is also known to cause otitis media and meningitis. It usually causes lobar pneumonia in the elderly and children or the immunologically compromised. They do not form spores and are non-motile. They ferment lactose. Purulent, "rusty-colored" sputum in patients with S. Pneumonia is usually the hallmark of S. Pneumonia in patients suspected of suffering from Lobar Pneumonia.

Haemophilus Influenzae: This is a small, non-motile, Gram-negative bacterium that resides in the Pasteurellaceae family. In 1890, it was mistakenly thought to be the cause of the disease Influenza, and it was named accordingly. It is presently known that the Rhinovirus is the major cause of the flu, and not a bacterium. The name has stuck with the bacterium, though. It is present in the nasopharynx of approximately 75% of people. It is a blood loving and fastidious bacterium, which means it is picky on where it will grow. This bacterium will grow on chocolate agar. Its shapes range from coccobacillus to filamentous rods on the Gram Stain. Pathogenic species of H. Influenza typically have a capsule. It typically causes infections of the respiratory and genital mucous membranes. Infection can happen from inhalation or fomites. (A fomite is an inanimate object carrying infectious organisms such as a table top or a door knob.) H. Influenzae form "satellite colonies." Initially, H. influenza invades the nasopharyngeal mucosa before spreading to the lower respiratory tract where the organism invades and destroys the mucus membranes producing Pneumonia.

Chlamydia Pneumoniae: This is a less common causative agent of Pneumonia. It is a gram-negative, aerobic, obligate intracellular pathogen. It is the only bacteria known that have a life cycle, the elementary body (infectious form, and the reticulate body (replicative form). It comes in the shape of a small bacillus with no peptidoglycan in its cell wall. The Chlamydiae species is known for its lack of peptidoglycan membrane and only has an outer membrane and an inner membrane. It is therefore, harder to kill by most antibiotics which actually target the peptidoglycan membrane. They cause harm by invading macrophages, but show its virulence when the cause the macrophage to not make the bacterium fuse with lysososme. The lysosome is the main killer of bacteria inside of a macrophage. In this way, the Chlamydiae bacteria escape killing by a macrophage, and actually live inside of a macrophage! When they replicate, they lyse the macrophage cell.

Mycoplasma Pneumoniae: This bacterium is a member of the class called Mollicutes, meaning soft skin (hence, can change shape). They completely lack a bacterial cell wall. Wall-less bacteria are more difficult to kill because our antibiotics target the cell wall. M. Pneumoniae, like Chlamydiae, is an obligate intracellular pathogen. It lives inside of macrophages and other cells. It cannot survive on its own as it is too small. Mycoplasma do not have their own machinery to replicate because they are so small. M. Pneumoniae is currently thought to be responsible for both tracheobronchitis and primary, atypical pneumonia. M. Pneumoniae can be caught through close personal contact via respiratory droplets. It's peak prevalence times are usually in autumn and winter.

Legionella Pneumophila: Legionella Pneumophila was first discovered in 1976 when an outbreak of pneumonia at an American Legion convention killed 29 people. It is motile, rod-shaped, gram-negative, aerobic bacterium. It requires complex nutrition, such as high cysteine levels and low sodium levels to grow optimally. It has always have been found in non-marine aquatic environments such as lakes and ponds. L. Pneumophila can survive in tap water at room temp for over a year! Legionella bacteria are transmitted to the lungs of human beings through a process called aerosilisation. (Air conditioning cooling towers). It is the cause of Legionnaire's Disease and Pontiac Fever (a mild infection which causes flu-like symptoms that goes away without treatment). Legionnaire's Disease incidence has increased over the past decade or so because of the wide use of central air conditioning, especially in office buildings, hotels, and hospitals. The major side effect of Legionnaire's Disease is respiratory failure which requires mechanical ventilation.

How to Spot Pneumonia: Common Symptoms

2010-01-18T21:31:00.000-08:00

by Brent Boyd

Pneumonia is inflammation and often infection of the lungs. Although some forms of pneumonia are mild and don't require medical treatment, other forms of the disease can be severe and need prompt medical intervention. Statistics indicate that over 3 million people in the United States are diagnosed with pneumonia each year, and many of them require hospitalization. When pneumonia is caused by infectious agents, the disease is very contagious and it can be easily transmitted through sneezing, cough or physical contact. Therefore, many patients are not hospitalized for the seriousness of their disease, but to prevent them from spreading pneumonia to other people.

There are many forms of pneumonia and some are not caused by infection with microorganisms. Aspiration pneumonia is common in very small children and elderly people, but it can also occur in adults. This form of pneumonia is caused by inhalation of foreign matters: fluids, dust, chemicals or other irritants. This condition is mostly common in small children due to inhalation of vomit or food. Aspiration pneumonia symptoms are usually not very intense and they ameliorate within a few days. Aspiration pneumonia symptoms are: dry cough, chest soreness and pain, wheezing, difficult breathing. Although medical treatment is not required for overcoming this form of pneumonia, it is best to see a doctor as soon as you spot its symptoms.

Infectious forms of pneumonia can be either caused by viruses, bacteria and mycoplasmas. Viral and mycoplasma pneumonia are usually milder than bacterial forms of the disease and they rarely require medical treatment.

Viral pneumonia is very common in children, teenagers and elderly people and it can be mistaken for flu or cold. Viral pneumonia symptoms are: throat inflammation, cough, swelling of the lymph nodes, chest discomfort when breathing, headache and a generalized state of fatigue. The cough can sometimes produce small amounts of mucus. Mild fever and chills may accompany viral pneumonia symptoms in the early stages of the disease. Viral pneumonia symptoms usually ameliorate within a few days and the infection completely clears up on itself in a few weeks.

Bacterial pneumonia can be severe and therefore, it can produce more intense symptoms. Bacterial forms of pneumonia are more common in adults and people with weak immune system. Bacterial pneumonia symptoms are: high fever, excessive sweating, mucus-producing cough, shortness of breath, chest pain and soreness when breathing, abdominal pain, nausea, muscle pain, pronounced body weakness. Bacterial pneumonia symptoms can also include cyanosis (due to lack of blood oxygenation) and brown-colored mucus producing cough. If the disease is severe, the cough may contain traces of blood.

Mycoplasma pneumonia can be developed by anyone, regardless of health condition and age. However, this form of pneumonia is usually mild and doesn't require any medical treatment. Mycoplasma pneumonia symptoms are: mucus producing cough, chest pain, difficulty breathing, headache, fatigue. Other mycoplasma pneumonia symptoms are: moderate fever, chills, abdominal pain and discomfort, nausea and vomiting. This form of pneumonia develops slowly and its symptoms may only be perceived after several weeks from catching the disease. Although mycoplasma pneumonia is not considered to be serious, it is advised to see a doctor as soon as you spot its first symptoms.

About the Author
Read about viral throat infection and at the Throat Problemswebsite.

Fluoroquinolones Pneumonia Treatment Overview

2009-10-29T03:23:00.000-07:00

In cases shown by people older than 18, the treatment for pneumonia may be done with fluoroquinolones, also known as quinolones, medicines that prevent bacteria from reproducing.

Generally, all types of antibiotics have an increased rate of curing pneumonia. Those rates range from 73 to 96 percents for people treated in hospitals and above 90 percents for people treated outside hospitals.

Fluoroquinolones were proved to be very effective.

* Many types of bacteria may be exterminated with one type of fluoroquinolones.
* Fluoroquinolones have various effects depending on the bacteria type. As an example, while ciprofloxacin may not have the desired effect against some types of Streptococcus pneumoniae, levofloxacin may work better.
* Some bacteria that are resistant to penicillin and erythromycin may be exterminated by fluoroquinolones.

Fluoroquinolones may show side effects like:

* Headache.
* Dizziness.
* Nausea.
* Vomiting.
* Rash.
* Taste of metal in the mouth.
* Phototoxic reaction (increased sensitivity to the sun).

Sunburns are easier to encounter while taking fluoroquinolones so it is recommended to avoid direct sunlight or tan salons when a fluoroquinolones treatment is followed or for five days after it was completed.

* Phototoxic reactions are not fully avoided with sunscreens because most of them don't absorb enough of the ultraviolet rays.
* Covering as much as possible of the body surface is recommended in those cases when exposure to sunlight can't be avoided.

People over the age of 18 got the approval to use fluoroquinolones but there are yet some categories of persons that are recommended not to use them because their effectiveness and safety is not clear:

* Pregnant women.
* Women who are breastfeeding.
* Persons aging less than 18. For children under the age of 8, fluoroquinolones are not recommended unless prescribed by a specialist because they can harm the cartilages.

A lower dose of these medications may be prescribed by the doctor in case the patient suffers from kidney conditions, in order to minimize the side effects.

When a person starts a fluoroquinolones treatment, prior treatments containing the blood thinning medicine warfarin (Coumadin) will be reduced in dosage.

It may be easier to remember taking the prescribed medicines in the case of levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, and gatifloxacin because they are taken only once a day.

The levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, and gatifloxacin treatments are usually not the first choice of doctors even if they are highly efficient. This is due to the concern that overusing of fluoroquinolones may decrease their effectiveness against the bacteria.

Risk for patients contracting pneumonia increases threefold when treated with pantoprazole

2009-09-16T06:35:00.000-07:00

According to researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, a popular stomach-acid reducer used to prevent stress ulcers in critically ill patients needing breathing machine support increases the risk of those patients contracting pneumonia threefold.

Hospital-acquired pneumonia is the leading cause of infection-related deaths in critically ill patients. It increases hospital stays by an average of seven to nine days, cost of care, and the risk of other complications.

"As best we can tell, patients who develop hospital-acquired pneumonia or ventilator-acquired pneumonia have about a 20 to 30 percent chance of dying from that pneumonia," said senior study author David L. Bowton, M.D., professor and head of the Section on Critical Care in the Department of Anesthesiology. "It's a significant event."

The study, published in a recent issue of CHEST, compared treatment with two drugs that decrease stomach acid: ranitidine, marketed under the name ZantacTM, and pantoprazole, marketed under the name ProtonixTM or PrilosecTM.

Both drugs decrease stomach acid, but the newer pantoprazole is considered more powerful and has become the drug of choice in many hospitals.

However, in the analysis of 834 patient charts, the researchers found that hospitalized cardiothoracic surgery patients treated with pantoprazole were three times more likely to develop pneumonia.

"We conducted this study, in part, because we thought we were seeing more pneumonias than we were used to having," said study co-author Marc G. Reichert, Pharm.D., pharmacy coordinator for surgery at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.

Both acid-reducing drugs can make the stomach a more hospitable place for bacteria to colonize. Patients on breathing machines sometimes develop pneumonia when stomach secretions reflux into the lungs.

Current treatment guidelines to prevent pneumonia recommend raising the head of the bed for patients on breathing machines, which reduces the risk of stomach secretions getting into the lungs.

But the study's findings suggest some other steps could keep critically ill patients from developing ventilator-associated pneumonia.

Doctors should consider whether an acid reducer is needed at all, Bowton said. The occurrence of stress ulcer bleeding has gone down in recent years, perhaps because patients with breathing tubes are fed earlier, and food in the stomach may neutralize or reduce the effects of stomach acid.

Bowton added that in cases where an acid reducer is needed, ranitidine is recommended, given the apparent decreased risk in developing pneumonia.

Doctors should stop using the drug as soon as the risk of bleeding passes - once the patient is off the breathing machine and eating, either on his/her own or through a feeding tube.

Prevention and treatment of pneumonia are critical to reducing child

2009-09-15T06:12:00.000-07:00

New World Health Organization data to be published in this week's edition of the Lancet will shed new light on two leading causes of pneumonia, the world's leading killer of children under age 5, both globally and within specific countries. The results, which are the first ever available at the country level, are expected to serve as a clarion call to developing country governments to invest in pneumonia prevention programs.

According to the studies, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae type b [Hib] infections take the lives of an estimated 1.2 million children under age 5 each year. Safe and effective vaccines exist to provide protection against both diseases. However, use of Hib vaccine has only recently expanded to low-income countries and pneumococcal vaccine is not yet included in national immunization programs in the developing world, where children bear the highest risk for pneumonia and where most pneumonia-related child deaths occur.

Streptococcus pneumoniae (Pneumococcal Disease)

Data from the study show that in 2000, there were an estimated 14.5 million cases of pneumococcal disease worldwide, and 826,000 children under 5 years of age died of the disease. Of the 14.5 million pneumococcal cases, 95% were attributable to pneumonia. While the majority of pneumococcal cases (51%) were found in Asia due to the high population, an estimated 54% of pneumococcal deaths occurred in Africa, where the lack of vaccines, a high prevalence of HIV infection and lack of access to medical care contributed to the death toll.

The ten countries with the greatest number and greatest proportion of global pneumococcal cases were in Asia and Africa, and taken together account for 66% of cases worldwide. These countries include India (27%), China (12%), Nigeria (5%), Pakistan (5%), Bangladesh (4%), Indonesia (3%), Ethiopia (3%), Democratic Republic of the Congo (3%), Kenya (2%) and the Philippines (2%).

"In areas of the world where access to quality care is limited, the use of pneumococcal vaccine is particularly necessary to limit disease and save lives," said Thomas Cherian, Coordinator of the WHO Expanded Programme on Immunization. "Implementing pneumococcal vaccine is critical if developing countries are to achieve United Nations Millennium Development Goal 4 for child mortality reduction."

In 2000, only the USA had initiated routine use of pneumococcal vaccine. By August 2008, this expanded to include 24 high and two upper-middle income countries but did not include any from Africa or Asia, the regions with the highest numbers of pneumococcal deaths and cases. According to the study, these 26 countries accounted for less than 0.2% of global childhood pneumococcal deaths in 2000 and the children in these countries, on average, had a 40-fold lower risk of pneumococcal death than the children in countries not yet using the vaccine.

Through the GAVI Alliance (www.gavialliance.com), low income countries can access existing and future pneumococcal vaccines with only a small self-financed contribution of as little as US $0.15 per dose. By February 2009, 11 countries had received GAVI Alliance approval for support to introduce pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV), including 8 in Africa and Asia. Two of these, Rwanda and the Gambia, have now initiated the use of PCV in their routine infant immunization schedules.

"If fully rolled out in GAVI-eligible countries, the pneumococcal vaccine could save the lives of more than 440,000 children by 2015," said Dr. Julian Lob-Levyt, CEO of the GAVI Alliance. "We encourage all developing countries to apply for this support as an important first step to saving children's lives."

Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)

Findings from the Hib study indicate that in 2000, Hib caused approximately 8.1 million serious illnesses worldwide and caused 371,000 child deaths. As with pneumococcal disease, the greatest burden of Hib disease lies in Asia and Africa. The ten countries with the highest estimated number of Hib deaths in 2000 include India (72,000), Nigeria (34,000), Ethiopia (24,000), Democratic Republic of the Congo (22,000), China (19,000), Afghanistan (14,000), Pakistan (13,000), Bangladesh (12,000), Angola (9,000) and Niger (8,000).

Highly effective and safe protein-polysaccharide conjugate Hib vaccines have been available for almost 20 years. These vaccines have virtually eliminated serious Hib disease in the developed and developing countries in which they are in routine use. Widespread use of Hib vaccines was found to have a significant impact on the burden of Hib disease in the United States and Europe. The study indicates that among children born in 2000, approximately 338,000 Hib cases and 12,500 Hib deaths were averted by Hib vaccination.

The World Health Organization and the GAVI Alliance, which is supporting the Hib Initiative, have been working to expand supplies of Hib vaccine, reduce vaccine cost and assist countries with vaccine introduction. There is substantial regional variability in vaccine use, and the study suggests that expanded use of Hib vaccines could have considerable benefit in reducing child mortality worldwide.

"These estimates provide the missing link for country policy makers seeking justification for investments in lifesaving vaccines," said Anne Schuchat, Director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Pneumonia Types That Require Hospitalization

2009-09-12T02:39:00.000-07:00

The infection and inflammation of the lungs caused by bacteria or viruses is a condition called pneumonia and it is a common type of pulmonary disease. This condition triggers an overproduction of mucus in the respiratory tract. The symptoms shown by this condition vary greatly depending on many factors like the age of the infected person, the ability to fight the infection of the immune system, the overall health or the causes of the infection. People that have a strong immune system are less likely to encounter pneumonia but people that have certain predisposition to respiratory infections or have an impaired immune system are at higher risk of developing pneumonia and complications caused by this disease. Because of this, we can say that old people are at higher risk of developing pneumonia and complications than other adults.

Nowadays, most cases of pneumonia are hospitalized because without a proper care and close monitoring, the condition may aggravate. There are however, many mild cases that don't require hospitalization, which are treated at home. The milder forms of pneumonia are also not as contagious as the severe forms, so it is possible for them not to infect other people. Because of this, some persons receive treatments to follow at home. Some of the cases, like walking pneumonia, don't even require bed resting, so people can continue with their daily activities while following a prescription.

In the close past, doctors have begun reconsidering the unnecessary hospitalizations of those patients because of the high costs and overcrowding. It has been considered for elderly people to avoid hospitalization in case of pneumonia. It was shown in recent studies that old people who live in nursing homes can receive medical treatment for pneumonia in the nursing home and hospitalization is not required anymore. They already benefit the medical care and surveillance. For those reasons put together, the nursing homes residents are considered not to be in need of hospitalization in the mild and uncomplicated forms of pneumonia.

This process will be benefic for both the patients and doctors. Also, the costs can be reduced with up to 1500 dollars for every patient.

A group of Canadian researchers started a study involving the collaboration of 20 nursing homes, to establish the necessity of hospitalization in case of pneumonia for the nursing homes residents. Half of the nursing homes were asked to follow their own rules for medical care and surveillance and the other half was asked to apply a new set of procedures and guidelines in case of patients with pneumonia. When the two groups were confronted with pneumonia cases, they followed the directions and the usual care group has sent the patients to the hospital while the exponential group kept them inside the nursing center.

The exponential group of nursing homes was asked to offer treatment inside the facilities for the residents suffering from pneumonia with stable conditions. Those residents that presented complications or aggravations were sent to hospital. In the referential group of nursing homes, there were 327 cases of pneumonia while the usual group encountered 353 cases. During the study, 10, respectively 22 percents of the cases of pneumonia required hospitalization. The researchers concluded that the residents of the nursing home from both groups had similar responses to the treatment regardless of the medical regimen. The mild cases of pneumonia can thus be treated inside the nursing home, avoiding the unnecessary hospitalizations.

The medical costs can be greatly reduced by the generalization of the appliance of the guidelines set by the Canadian researchers in the matter of unnecessary hospitalization of the pneumonia cases encountered among the nursing home residents. Each year, 70 millions dollars could be spared in Canada and 800 millions dollars in America if the unnecessary hospitalizations would be avoided.

Helpful Advice To Recognize Pneumonia

2009-07-29T03:28:00.001-07:00

Pneumonia has more than 50 forms of which some are mild and some are life – threatening. This infection can occur after another condition like influenza, a cold or any other illness, or may be triggered on its own. This condition develops suddenly showing a great variety of symptoms from which the most common are cough, shortness of breath, chills, fever and chest pain.

When pneumonia occurs in people otherwise healthy, the symptoms will show suddenly. Usually, they follow an upper respiratory tract infection and include:

* * Heavy cough accompanied by rusty, green or bloody phlegm.
* * Shaking chills.
* * Accelerated breathing, shortness of breath.
* * Fever. This symptom is less common in older people.
* * Pain in the chest that usually worsens when coughing.
* * A general state of fatigue or weakness.
* * Fast heartbeat.

In case of nonbacterial pneumonia the symptoms are coughing accompanied by little phlegm, fever and shortness of breath. In this case the symptoms are milder and come on gradually. This condition will not generate fatigue or weakness so most people won't feel actually sick and won't know they are affected by this condition.

If the symptoms are mild, the condition may be called walking pneumonia.
Young persons and old persons

In the case of old people, the symptoms are different from normal, milder or fewer: no fever or dry cough. One major sign of this condition's presence in old people is the change of their thoughts clarity like confusion or delirium; or a worsening of an already existing lung condition.

In the case of children, the symptoms will depend on age:

* * In infants aging less than one month, symptoms may include having little or no energy (lethargy), poor feeding, grunting or fever.
* * In children, the symptoms of pneumonia usually resemble to those in adults.

Doctors will search for signs of a pneumonia like increased breathing rate (more than 60 breaths per minute) and cough.

Pneumonia resembles as a respiratory tract condition to COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), bronchitis and tuberculosis.

Atypical Pneumonia Forms, Eosinophilic Pneumonia

2009-06-02T02:25:00.001-07:00

This type of condition is encountered very rarely and it is characterized by lung inflammation, eosinophilic reactions at pulmonary level and pronounced difficulties in breathing. The infectious nature of the condition is shown by the eosinophils accumulation inside the lungs, even though its actual causes remain unknown. Eosinophils are a type of white cells that have an important role in fighting bacteria or other infectious organisms.

Scientists believe that some kind of atypical bacteria is the cause for eosinophilic pneumonia, although an exact cause hasn't been identified yet. This supposition is based on the unusual eosinophilic response at the lungs level. This type of pneumonia produces serious impairment to the lower respiratory tract. The worst case scenario of this condition is death through asphyxiation and it can be reached by inappropriate medical care and treatment.

The eosinophilic pneumonia is also referred to as syndrome due to the variety of its presumptive underlying causes and to the fact that it generates a wide range of physical manifestations. Medical specialists are unable to diagnose this syndrome in time because of the insufficient data regarding the apparition and the evolution of the condition and its unknown etiology. The patient's chances of survival greatly increase if the diagnosis and treatment are prompt. The condition can be recovered with the existing medications in most cases even though there is no specific treatment available.

This syndrome also presents an endemic character revealed by the medical reports describing its apparition and development among the American soldiers camped in Iraq . Those reports also made the scientists believe that this condition is characteristic to certain territories. The epidemic outbreak among the U.S. troops that were recently deployed in Iraq reveals also the fact that the eosinophilic pneumonia has an increased contagiousness. Some potential underlying causes of this syndrome may be tobacco smoking and prolonged exposure to dust and sand.

Along the military personnel that was deployed in Iraq in a set of recent missions, went also a medical staff that noticed a rapid onset of the condition in 18 soldiers. All 18 cases presented exacerbated symptoms. Most cases were encountered in men aging around 22.

The exact causes of this condition are unknown but some connections were made between the syndrome and tobacco smoking among the 18 members of military personnel. Most of the men had recently started to smoke. Other risk factors for the disease were not discovered. In the eosinophilic pneumonia, some epidemiologic tests show no lung infection, eliminating thus the theory of bacterial infection. Most patients developed extra-pulmonary eosinophilia and all the cases had a pronounced eosinophilic response to the condition.

From the 18 patients infected with eosinophilic pneumonia, 16 responded well to a long corticosteroids treatment and 2 of them died because of complications. The respiratory problems were eliminated almost completely after a period of three months of treatment and at the end of the treatment all 16 patients were completely cured. In none of the cases, the condition wasn't reported to relapse and no permanent impairment of the respiratory tract was discovered.

Factors that increase the risks for pneumonia

2009-05-21T06:55:00.000-07:00

Pneumonia is a condition that affects the lungs and the respiratory system and it manifests through inflammation and fluid filling of the alveoli (microscopic sacs filled with air that absorb oxygen from the air, which are found in the lungs). This condition can be caused by many factors, including viruses, bacteria, fungi or other organisms' infections.

Other factors of risk are presented by:

* *Tobacco smoking is the one of the strongest factors of risk for developing pneumonia.
* * Already suffering from another medical condition, especially lung diseases like COPD or asthma.
* * Changes of the mental status (confusions or loss of consciousness) those factors increase the risk of breathing mucus or saliva from the nose or mouth, liquids, or food from the stomach into the lungs (aspiration).
* * Persons aging under 1 year or over 65 years.
* * Persons with impaired immune system.
* * Persons with an injury to the ribs area, a bruised rib.

Cases that involve complications or even death and require hospitalization:

* * Persons older than 65.
* * Suffer from other conditions like COPD, diabetes, asthma, chronic liver disease, chronic kidney failure or heart failure.
* * Persons that have been in a hospital for a different problem within the past year.
* * Persons with an alcohol use problem.
* * Persons that don't get enough healthy foods (malnutrition).
* * Persons that inhaled mucus or stomach contents into the lungs (aspiration).
* * Persons that have changes of mental status like delirium or dementia.
* * Persons with spleen failure as in sickle cell disease.

Complications are encountered by people over the age of 60 and:

* * Have an impaired immune system.
* * Have a heart disease.
* * Have an alcohol use problem.
* * Are residents of an institution, such as a nursing home.

Pneumonia is a common condition that affects anybody and represents a leading cause of death among people who suffer from chronic diseases and among old people. Some types of pneumonia can be prevented by vaccination. A person's chances depend on factors like the underlying health, complications that may appear, an appropriate treatment and the type of pneumonia encountered.

Pneumonia, a transmitted infection

The lung inflammation and infection that makes breathing difficult is called pneumonia. Generally, pneumonia is easily treated at home and doesn't produce permanent lung damage. However, there are cases, in patients that are older than 65, in young children or in persons that suffer from other conditions, especially COPD – chronic obstructive pulmonary disease – that require hospitalization and careful medical monitoring. Walking pneumonia is a term attributed to the mild forms of pneumonia.

Pneumonia can be acquired anywhere: at school or at work – community based pneumonia – or in hospitals or nursing homes – nosocomial pneumonia.

Pneumonia is caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites in rare cases, or other microorganisms.

* * Usually, the organism that causes most cases of pneumonia is streptococcus pneumoniae but in many cases, the specific organism can not be identified, even with tests.
* * Other types of bacteria that are responsible for pneumonia include haemophilus influenzae, mycoplasma pneumoniae, chlamydia pneumoniae, legionella pneumophila (the bacteria that cause Legionnaires' disease), staphylococcus aureus, moraxella catarrhalis, streptococcus pyogenes, neisseria meningitidis, or klebsiella pneumoniae.
* * Pneumonia can also be caused by the influenza A virus and RSV – respiratory syncytial virus.

In cases of people with affected immune system, pneumonia may have other causes including some types of fungi like pneumocystis jiroveci ( fungus that used to be called p. carinii). People suffering from AIDS are usually affected by this fungus. If the doctors believe that this fungus is the cause for pneumonia in a case, they may recommend an HIV test.

Complete Information on Bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia

2009-04-05T03:41:00.000-07:00

by Juliet Cohen

The obliterans of bronchiolite with the pneumonia of organization (BOOP) is an ignition of bronchioles and surrounding fabric in the lungs.

BOOP can affect small sectors of the lungs or whole lung. Obliterans of bronchiolite with the pneumonia of organization is not related on the infection or the cancer of lung. In much of case, the cause of BOOP include certain connective fabric disorders, such as lupus, Clerc's Offices of marrow and the radiation therapy for the cancer of centre BOOP can also be a side effect of certain medicinal drugs, for example amiodarone. The symptoms of the obliterans of bronchiolite include cough and dyspnea.

Griep-als symptoms its feverish sickness, widespread crackles and mild resting hypoxemia. In some people, bronchiolitis cause obliterans with organising pneumonia no signs or symptoms. In others, the shortness of can cause breath and fever. These symptoms usually progress over different weeks. Broncho-alveolaire the carcinoma can imitate BOOP. The white lung sign is not found general in lung consolidations which have been assessed with heavy T2-Gewogen consecutions. The treatment steroid medecine such as prednisone. Bronchoscopy to BAL reveals 40% lymphocyte, with in neutrophil and eosinophils subtler increase same place.

In has the model clinical and the radial ray photography characteristic patient, demonstrated the organization the pneumonia pathological style and lacks is full makes an exploratory nature for a choice diagnosis characteristic transbronchial slice inspection method to diagnose and to start the therapy. In the surgical department lung slice inspection method, the histopathologic style organization pneumonia to the lung architecture which preserves; This style is not exclusive to BOOPArticle Submission, must explain in the clinical context. The most patients restore by the kind of cortical hormone therapy.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Juliet Cohen writes articles for http://www.health-doctor.org/, http:///www.healingremedies.org/ and http://www.women-health-guide.com/ .

Detailed Information on Mycoplasmal Pneumonia

2009-03-17T10:07:00.000-07:00

by Juliet Cohen

Mycoplasmal pneumonia can occur at any time of the year, but large outbreaks tend to occur in the late summer and fall.

Mycoplasma pneumonia is an infection of the lungs caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M. pneumoniae). Pneumonia is an inflammation of one or both lungs. Mycoplasmal pneumonia usually affects children and young adults. M. pneumoniae is a common cause of meek pneumonia that frequently affects people younger than 40. Mycoplasma pneumoniae is spread through respiratory droplet transmission. The infection caused by this bacterium is called atypical pneumonia because of its protracted course and lack of sputum production.

Chronic mycoplasma infections have been involved in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis and other rheumatological diseases. People at highest risk for mycoplasma pneumonia involve those living or working in crowded areas such as schools and homeless covers. Common symptoms of mycoplasma pneumonia include headache, fever (may be high), chills, excessive sweating, cough, chest pain and sore throat. Other frequently seen symptoms include skin lesions or rash, eye pain or soreness, muscle aches and joint stiffness, neck lump, rapid breathing and ear pain.

Mycoplasma pneumonia is transmitted from person-to-person contact through respiratory secretions during coughing and sneezing. Mycoplasma pneumonia has an incubation stage of about 1 to 4 weeks, which means it may take up to four weeks after exposure to get mycoplasma pneumonia. However, over this time period, symptoms may slowly begin to appear. All ages may be affected by mycoplasma pneumonia; however children under the age of 5 years are rarely affected. Treatment depends on the severity of symptoms and the type of organism causing the infection.

Antibiotics may be prescribed for more sedate symptoms linked to mycoplasma pneumonia. Empiric antimicrobial therapy must be inclusive and should cover all likely pathogens in the context of the clinical setting. Bacterial pneumonia is often treated with penicillin, ampicillin clavulanate and erythromycin. Home care includes rest and a high-protein diet with enough fluids. Prevention is better than cure. Infants and people in poor health, especially those with weakened immune systems due to HIV, or other conditionsBusiness Management Articles, should avoid contact with people with mycoplasma pneumonia.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Juliet Cohen writes articles for http://www.health-disease.org/ . She also writes articles for http://www.makeup-care.info/ and http://www.hairstyles-picture.com/ .

Pneumonia: Easy Steps To Control Lung Inflammation & AIDS

2008-10-05T07:51:00.000-07:00

by Nilutpal Gogoi

KNOWING PNEUMONIA

Pneumonia refers to lung inflammation. There are 50 such lung inflammatory ailments. During such situations, the lungs inevitably experience build up of fluids. Several micro-organisms cause pneumonia. Pneumonic inflammation of the lungs occurs due to collection of cellular wastes and blood cells within the air sacs within the lungs. Such pneumonic inflammation creates breathing problems.

PNEUMONIA CAUSES

Pneumonia is caused by infections. The culprits responsible for causing such pneumonic infections are protozoa or fungi, mycoplasma, rickettsia, and bacteria. Respiratory infections caused by rhinoviruses, adenoviruses, and influenza virus can also lead to pneumonia. Most of the viral pneumonia cases are mild. They also resolve within a week’s time with or without any particular treatment.

HOW DANGEROUS CAN PNEUMONIA BE

Every year, 90,000 deaths are reported to be because of pneumonia in the United States. What is more, approximately five million pneumonia cases are registered in that country.

PNEUMONIA CAN BE LIFE THREATENING

If detected early, a person with a good constitution and proper treatment can recover quickly from an influenza bout. However, acute pneumonia attacks can be life threatening as well. More often than not, pneumonia can prove to be fatal to patients having weak immune systems. Even healthy persons can have complicacies if pneumonia is not detected early. There can be serious consequences if pneumonia patients fail to get effective and prompt treatment.

LOBAR PNEUMONIA

Lobar pneumonia is an acute form of infection. It is caused by the Pneumococcus bacterium. The generic name of this bacterium is Streptococcus pneumoniae. Lobar pneumonia usually follows an extreme form of viral respiratory infection, particularly of the upper respiratory tract. The symptoms of lobar pneumonia are chest pain during breathing, or cough and fever accompanied by chill and shaking. The patient’s body temperature hovers around 104° F (roughly 40° C). The sputum is blood streaked.

Notably, most of the deaths before the invention of antibiotics were due to lobar pneumonia. Lobar pneumonia generally attacks a lung lobe or a portion of it. At times, lobar pneumonia strikes both the lungs; then it is known as double pneumonia.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF BACTERIAL PNEUMONIAS

Besides the Streptococcus pneumoniae, the other bacterial pneumonias fall in the bronchopneumonias category. Bronchopneumonias fever is lower compared to the one experienced in Streptococcus pneumoniae. Moreover, bronchopneumonias symptoms appear slower than the Streptococcus pneumoniae signs. The bronchopneumonias primarily target the bronchial tubes known as the bronchioles. Since these small tubes are located nearest the lungs, they may become rather dangerous. The bacteria that can cause bronchopneumonias are streptococci, different types of staphylococci, Haemophilus influenzae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and pneumococcus besides the bacterium causing the Legionnaires’ disease, namely Legionella pneumophilia.

PNEUMONIA FORMS

There are basically three forms of pneumonia. They are atypical pneumonia caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae, a mono cell organism lacking nucleus; the pneumonia caused by the harmless protozoan Pneumocystis carinii; and Chlamydia pneumoniae.

Atypical pneumonia: This is a common type of pneumonia. Outbreaks of such forms of pneumonia are generally witnessed among students in educational institutions and also among soldiers. Normally, atypical pneumonia resolves by itself. However, antibiotics can also bring about relief. It is caused by a minute prokaryotic organism known as Mycoplasma pneumoniae. This single-celled micro organism is neither a virus nor a bacterium.

Pneumocystis carinii Pneumonia: This form of pneumonia is caused by the protozoan Pneumocystis carinii. This micro organism is usually harmless. Such pneumonic incidences are common among people suffering from impaired immune syndromes or also among many leukemia patients. This form of pneumonia has been the primary cause of deaths among people suffering from AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS).

Chlamydia pneumoniae: Chlamydia pneumoniae is a contagious ailment caused by the Chlamydia set of bacteria. Chlamydia pneumoniae affects the upper respiratory tract. Chlamydia pneumoniae infections can also strike the bronchitis, pneumonitis, and the pharyngitis. Chlamydia pneumoniae can also lead to heart attacks and coronary heart diseases. Besides Chlamydia pneumoniae, the other two species of Chlamydia bacteria are Chlamydia psittaci and Chlamydia trachomatis.

THE SECOND MAIN CAUSE OF DEATH IN USA

Chlamydia pneumoniae has been identified as the second main cause of pneumonia in US. Anybody between the ages of five to 35 can be affected by Chlamydia pneumoniae. The Chlamydia pneumoniae bouts are usually mild in nature. The Chlamydia pneumoniae symptoms are fever and cough. At times, there can be more sputum production. Sputum is a mixture of various mucus and saliva. It arises from the respiratory tracts.

CHLAMYDIA PNEUMONIAE SYMPTOMS

The Chlamydia pneumoniae symptoms may not be very visible initially. Or, at times, the Chlamydia pneumoniae signs may also point to the other forms of Chlamydia dysfunctions. One type is the chlamydia type of illnesses caused by various strains of the trachomatis species. Another severe type of chlamydia disease is caused by a strain of the fly-borne Chlamydia trachomatis.

DIAGNOSING CHLAMYDIA PNEUMONIAE

To diagnose Chlamydia pneumoniae infections, patients generally have to undergo various tests. These include cell cultures that exclude other illnesses with similar symptoms. The other ailments having similar symptoms are candidiasis, trichomoniasis, herpes, and gonorrhea. The modern method of diagnosing Chlamydia infections are immunoassays blood tests. These examinations pinpoint the specific antibody that may have been constituted by the patient’s immune system against chlamydia infection.

In 1939, major advances were made in pneumonia therapy. Their wider application lowered pneumonia from the third to the fifth leading cause of death in the USA.

TREATING PNEUMONIA

More often than not, antibiotics effectively deal with the majority forms of bacterial pneumonia. For patients above 50 years, and for those suffering from the most acute types of pneumococcus, physicians generally recommend a vaccine. It also grants the people immunity against these virulent pneumonia states. The vaccine is further given as an immunity measure to patients who have chronic liver, lung or heart ailments.

About The Author
Nilutpal Gogoi is a writer and a freelance journalist. He has published more than 1000 articles and a popular adventure book for children. For more information log on to http://www.makehealthcare.com/ http://www.yournicelife.com/ http://www.purejoyhealth.com/

Super Pneumonia or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, SARS

2008-09-04T08:34:00.000-07:00

A very serious form of atypical pneumonia is the SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome), a condition that affects greatly the lungs. This syndrome was over promoted in the past and erroneous ideas were emitted but those ideas can easy be disregarded when looking over the facts. Of course, SARS is a serious condition, but not as it was said. What reasons triggered those exaggerations remains however unknown. One of the important means of those exaggerations was the media, which generated a real mass hysteria around this subject.

The media oversized the subject of SARS endemics from Asia and the later outbreaks from America , subject that quickly became world wide known and caused panic. Even more, the media introduced exacerbated rumors and suppositions into the subject, increasing thus the hysteria and the panic and referring to the SARS condition as to “super pneumonia” or “killer pneumonia”. This condition is in fact curable and the number of the victims of this virus is much lower than the one stipulated in the media.

Because of the wrong information that was provided to the people about this condition, it was believed that this malady is deadly and unknown causes. Those beliefs are far from reality. After further research, the scientists discovered that the cause for this malady is a viral organism that also produces the common flu, organism called paramyxoviruses. Considering this aspect, this “super pneumonia” is nothing else than a complicated influenza. Other than that, the number of the victims caused by SARS is a lot smaller than the number of victims of seasonal flu. For instance, in China , out of 1500 persons affected by SARS, only fifty have died.

The medical reports also show that in America there were only forty cases of SARS infection and all the patients survived. Meanwhile, influenza makes thousands of victims every year in America and world wide. There are more than 50 types of pneumonia that can lead to death and up to 20 of them can be considered to have a higher lethal potential than SARS. Over 40 thousands persons die each year in the United States because of pneumonia.

The answers related to the contagiousness of the SARS were provided by the statistics mentioned above. More to it is that compared to the contagiousness of the common influenza, which affects million of persons every year, the SARS transmissibility can be neglected. SARS is also treatable. Medical care and immediate treatment, as in the case of the other types of pneumonia, can easily cure this condition.

Considering the fact that media did nothing more than boosting their ratings, we advise people not to trust everything they say and think twice before judging anything related to this matter.

Life-threatening Pneumonia Caused by Pneumonia Vaccine

2008-08-14T03:50:00.000-07:00

by Heidi Stevenson, BSc, DIHom, FBIH

Prevnar, an anti-pneumonia vaccination given in the United Kingdom, likely causes a significantly worse form of pneumonia to develop. This life-threatening lung disease, called Serotype 1, has become ten times more prevalent in ten years.

Serotype 1 pneumonia causes the pleura, the lining of the lungs, to become infected. The disease is suffered primarily by children, who experience fear from difficulty breathing and severe pain. Treatment consists of surgical debridement, that is, scraping, of the pleura to remove the noxious material.

In the UK, where the Prevnar vaccine has been aggressively and widely disseminated, pediatrician David Spencer has said, “It looks as if the Serotype one is becoming more virulent.”

Testing Prevnar for Ear Infections

Although intended as an anti-pneumonia vaccine, Prevnar’s manufacturer, Wyeth, has sold it largely for prevention of ear infections, otitis media. They developed a novel approach to testing for this purpose.

Rather than giving the control group a placebo, the guinea pigs received a different vaccine, the meningococcal group C conjugate vaccine (MnCC). The result was that the MnCC group, the so-called control group, had a 6-7 percent higher incidence of ear infections.

Aside from the fact that the difference in incidence of ear infections between the two groups is not great, an assumption was made that both vaccines prevent it. However, without comparison with people who did not receive either vaccine, there is no reason to believe that either one prevented disease. In fact, it could be that both actually cause otitis media, but that MnCC causes it more than Prevnar.

As it turns out, this may be exactly what is happening. Though sold as an ear infection preventative and tested in an excruciatingly twisted manner to “prove” it does prevent the disease, reports have been coming out showing that Prevnar actually causes otitis media. Worse, it’s now a superbug.

On September 17, 2007, ABCmoney.co.uk reported an outbreak of ear infections caused by drug-resistant strep bacteria. What appears to be happening is that prevention of some kinds of pneumonia is allowing other, more virulent ones, to proliferate.

There are dozens of types of pneumonia bacteria. Prevnar prevents only seven of them, and far from the worst forms of the disease. As a result, some of these more virulent strains of pneumonia, which had been held in check by competition with the seven types that Prevnar destroys, are running rampant in children who have received the Prevnar vaccine. In other words, its success is creating a greater danger.

Prevnar is a perfect example of the law of unexpected consequences. Or were they unexpected?

According to an Associated Press report, Wyeth “anticipated” the spread of new strains of pneumonia and ear infection bacteria as a result of their vaccine! They are in the process of testing another one, and plan for its use by the general public in the next year or two. This one would address 18 strains of pneumonia-causing bacteria.

What happens then? There are more than 18 strains of pneumonia bacteria. What’s the likelihood of even more virulent strains becoming prevalent as a result of “success” of the new vaccine? No one knows. Sadly, it appears that no one is going to address the issue. The FDA has given the go-ahead to Wyeth to do trials.

New Pneumonia Strain’s Prevalence

Scientists analyzed over 21,000 samples from various places in the U.S. They found that incidence of the drug-resistant bacteria, called 19A, has been increasing. Worse, in children under age two, a full 15% of children carried 19A, up from 4% during the previous three years.

In 2004-2005, researchers at the University of Iowa found that 35% of penicillin-resistant infections were caused by 19A. The year before, 19A caused only 2%.

If this isn’t bad enough, GlaxoSmithKline has yet another pneumonia vaccine in final testing in Europe.

Thanks to Wyeth, the FDA, and the entire medical system, we have a developing virulent and deadly pneumonia that’s likely the direct result of a vaccine. Rather than taking a step back and considering withdrawing Prevnar, the approach in both the U.S. and U.K. has been to up the ante: develop another vaccine, presumably to cover more bacteria. There is no reason to believe that this won’t result in an even more virulent strain of pneumonia than the one already created.

In fact, there’s reason to believe that the situation could become far worse. Bacteria have the ability to transfer successful genes across species. Thus, antibiotic-resistant varieties can provide their resistance to other species of bacteria. As Baylor College of Medicine doctor, Daniel Musher, said, “New types may emerge that can both escape containment by vaccine and spread throughout the world.”

It looks like a pharmaceutical firm has created the perfect vaccine, at least from their point of view. They make millions of dollars by convincing governments and doctors that it’s going to save lives. Then, the vaccine creates an even worse disease. Of course –- from their point of view –- this “requires” the creation of yet another vaccine, from which they can make even more millions. It sounds like the perfect endless money-making by disease-creation loop –- at least, from the point of view of the drug companies.

Flu Vaccine Doesn't Protect Seniors From Pneumonia

2008-08-01T04:22:00.001-07:00

Flu vaccine may not protect older people from pneumonia once they get the disease, researchers report.

Older, frail adults are more susceptible to getting the flu, even if they have been vaccinated, and once getting the flu, they are more susceptible to such complications as pneumonia. It had been thought that flu vaccine would prevent flu -- and pneumonia -- across all groups of seniors, but this benefit appears to be largely confined to younger, healthier seniors.

"In seniors, flu vaccine was not linked to a reduced risk of pneumonia," said lead researcher Michael L. Jackson, a postdoctoral fellow at the Group Health Center for Health Studies in Seattle.

Jackson still recommends that seniors get flu vaccine, however. "There have been good randomized trials that show, at least in healthy seniors, that the vaccine reduces the risk of influenza," he said. "However, earlier studies have overestimated how well the vaccine works in reducing complications of influenza. So, the vaccine may not reduce the risk of complications as much as previously thought," he said.

Among young healthy seniors, the vaccine reduces the risk of flu, Jackson said. "When you look at the total population of seniors, which includes people over 75 and people that have chronic health diseases -- lung disease, heart disease, diabetes, and things like that -- we don't know if the vaccine is effective in the seniors," he said. "People with these chronic diseases are more susceptible to getting the flu, and they are more likely to develop pneumonia if they do get influenza."

The report is published in the Aug. 2 issue of The Lancet.

For the study, Jackson's team collected data on 1,173 people between the ages of 65 and 94 who developed pneumonia They compared these individuals with 2,346 people who did not get pneumonia. Both groups had similar rates of flu vaccination over the three seasons of studies, the researchers say.

The researchers found that vaccinated seniors who got the flu were as likely to develop pneumonia as unvaccinated seniors who got the flu.

Dr. Pascal James Imperato, dean of the master of public health program at the State University of New York Downstate Medical Center in New York City, was not surprised by these results.

"We know that elderly people do not form sufficient antibodies to certain vaccines, the flu vaccine included," Imperato said. "In addition, people in their 70s and 80s and 90s are more prone to pneumonia with or without influence. A number of these pneumonias may be secondary to other causes aside from influenza."

Even though many of the elderly will not develop sufficient antibodies to the flu vaccine, getting the shot is still worthwhile, Imperato said. "Having many people vaccinated builds up a herd immunity to disease, and you create barriers to transmission," he added.

Dr. Marc Siegel, a clinical associate professor of medicine at New York University School of Medicine in New York City, said the results of this study fly in the face of prevailing wisdom.

Siegel noted that 36,000 people in the United States die each year from the flu. "Over 90 percent of them are elderly," he said. "We give the flu shot primarily to prevent elderly deaths.

The effectiveness of the flu vaccine varies year to year, however, depending on how good a match it is for the circulating strains of influence. "In the best years, the flu vaccine is really only 40 to 60 percent effective," Siegel added.

In addition, Siegel thinks that the flu vaccine protects against other complication including respiratory diseases, which can also be fatal. "There are plenty of flu-related complications that are life-threatening besides pneumonia," he said.

"This study is a reminder that flu vaccines are not a panacea, but they are valuable, because they cut down on the incidence of influenza," Siegel said. "Flu shots definitely cut down on the number of flu-related deaths."

More information

For more about seasonal flu vaccine, visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Causes of Pneumonia, Symptoms and Treatment

2008-07-28T04:49:00.001-07:00

by John Mathew

Pneumonia is a common but potentially deadly inflammation of the lungs, usually caused by an infection. When the air sacs in the lungs become infected, pus and other liquid fill them, making it difficult to breathe and difficult for oxygen to reach your blood. Pneumonia can affect a single section of your lungs, in which case it's called lobar pneumonia, or it can affect patches throughout both lungs, in which case it's called multifocal pneumonia. If both lungs are infected, it's known as multibar pneumonia.
There are about 30 different causes of pneumonia. However, they all fall into one of these categories:

* Infective pneumonia: Inflammation and infection of the lungs and bronchial tubes that occurs when a bacteria (bacterial pneumonia) or virus (viral pneumonia) gets into the lungs and starts to reproduce.

* Aspiration pneumonia: An inflammation of the lungs and bronchial tubes caused by inhaling vomit, mucous, or other bodily fluids. Aspiration pneumonia can also be caused by inhaling certain chemicals.

Typical symptoms are cough, fever, sweats, shivers, being off food, and feeling generally unwell. Headaches, and aches and pains are common. You usually make more sputum which may become yellow/green, and is sometimes bloodstained. You may become breathless, breathe fast, and develop a 'tight chest'. A sharp pain in the side of the chest may develop if the infection involves the pleura. (This is the membrane between the lung and the chest wall.) A doctor may hear 'crackles' in the chest when listening with a stethoscope.

When a person encounters the symptoms of pneumonia - cough, shortness of breath, chest pain that fluctuates with breathing, fever accompanied with chills and sweats or aggravation of a flu or cold - he or she should consult a doctor right away because this condition may become lethal in some cases if left untreated.

If bacteria cause the pneumonia it can usually be easily treated with antibiotics. Viruses do not respond to antibiotics, but if your pneumonia is caused by a virus antibiotics may be used to help prevent any secondary infections.

Doctors treat pneumonia based on the type of pneumonia a person has as well as other individual factors, such as age and overall health. Bacterial pneumonia is usually treated with antibiotics. Fungal pneumonia is treated with antifungal agents. Viral pneumonia may be treated with antiviral medications but is more often treated simply with recommendations of rest and plenty of fluids. In addition, for all types of pneumonia, doctors often suggest taking over-the-counter medications to reduce fever and pain.

If the pneumonia is severe, or the person affected is either very old or frail they may need to be treated in hospital where antibiotics and extra fluids and can be given straight into the vein (intravenously). If breathing is difficult, extra oxygen can be given through a facemask. About one in every six people with pneumonia are ill enough to need this kind of specialised care.

About the Author
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Fluid Pneumonia

2008-07-13T08:53:00.000-07:00

by Ryan Fyfe

Pneumonia, is when the lungs fill with fuild, and in turn prevent oxygen from reaching the bloodstream. This is a medical condition that can have result from severl diseases where the tiny, air-filled saces in the lung, which are responsible for absorbing oxygen from the air, are filled with fluid. Many different types of pneumonia exist. The most commony types are results of a bacterial infection of the lung. Several other things can cause pneumonia, such as viruses, fungi, and parasites.

Another type of pneumonia occurs as a result of chemical or physical irritation to the lungs.
A common sickness, pneumonia, occurs basically evenly among all age groups. Caused by infection in most cases, pneumonia, will often cause difficulty breathing, coughs, fevers, and chest pains. Antibiotic Medication is normally used to treat pneumonia when it has been caused by an infection.

Victims of pneumonia will often have a cough that produces green/yellow sputum. This is one of the leading symptoms of pneumonia as well as a high fever followed by shaking chills. Pneumonia is usually diagnosed by health care providers observations on a patient's symptoms and discoveries from various physical examinations. Pneumonia diagnoses can be difficult for some people. This is especially true for those who have other illnesses at the time of examination. Often times physical examination by a health provider may reveal low amount of oxygen in the blood, low blood pressure, an increased respiratory rate, low body temperature, a fast heart rate, or a fever.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Feel free to reprint this article as long as you keep the article, this caption and author biography in tact with all hyperlinks.Ryan Fyfe is the owner and operator of Pneumonia Symptoms - http://www.pneumonia-symptoms.com, which is the best site on the internet for all pneumonia related information.

Home Remedies for Pneumonia

2008-07-05T05:29:00.000-07:00

by Krishan Bakhru

To begin with, the patient should be kept on a diet of raw juices for five to seven days, depending on the severity of the disease. In this regimen, he should take a glass of fruit or vegetable juice, diluted with warm water on 50:50 basis, every two hours. Fruits such as orange, mussombi, apple, pineapple and grapes and vegetables like carrots and tomatoes may be used for juices.

After a diet of raw juices, when the fever subsides, the patient should spend three or four further days on an exclusive fresh fruit diet, taking three meals a day of juicy fruits such as apple, grapes, pineapple, mango, orange, lemon and papaya. Thereafter, he may gradually adopt a well-balanced diet of natural foods consisting of seeds, nuts and grains, vegetables and fruits, with emphasis on fresh fruits and raw vegetables. The patient should be given warm water enema daily to cleanse the bowels during the period of raw juice therapy and all-fruit diet and thereafter, when necessary.

The patient should avoid strong tea, coffee, refined foods, fried foods, white sugar, white flour and all products made from them, condiments and pickles. He should also avoid all meats as well as alcoholic beverages and smoking.

Certain home remedies have been found beneficial in the treatment of pneumonia. During the early acute stage of this disease, herbal tea made from fenugreek seeds will help the body to produce perspiration, dispel toxicity and shorten the period of fever. It can be taken up to four cups daily. The quantity should be reduced as condition improves. To improve flavour, a few drops of lemon juice can be used. During this treatment, no other food or nourishment should be taken as fasting and fenugreek will help the body to correct these respiratory problems.

According to Dr. F. W. Crosman, an eminent physician, garlic is a marvellous remedy for pneumonia, if given in sufficient quantities. This physician used garlic for many years in pneumonia, and said that in no instance did it fail to bring down the temperature as well as the pulse and respiration, within 48 hours. Garlic juice can also be applied externally to the chest with beneficial results as it is an irritant and rubefacient.

Sesame seeds are valuable in pneumonia. An infusion of the seeds, mixed with a tablespoon of linseed, a pinch of common salt and desertspoon of honey, should be given in the treatment of this disease. This will help remove catarrhal matter and phlegm from the bronchial tubes.

The pain of pneumonia can be relieved by rubbing oil of turpentine over the rib cage and wrapping warmed cotton wool over it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Author's Sites: Herbal Remedies , Anxiety Panic Attack Treatment and Natural Home Remedies for Heartburn & Acid Reflux

Preventing Pneumonia With A Simple Vaccination

2008-07-03T05:16:00.001-07:00

by Ethan Armitage

Pneumonia is an infectious disease that can affect on or both lungs of a person. This condition used to be a leading cause of death 2 hundred years ago. Pneumonia is produced by microorganisms that damage the tissues of the lungs and cause infections. If it is left untreated, this condition can become very serious.

For its treatment, antibiotics are successfully used. It is important for this treatment to be taken as soon as possible because if it is left untreated, it can generate serious complications. Because of its resembling symptoms, most people confuse it with a strong cold and they only realize it is pneumonia after the symptoms aggravate. The best thing to do is to prevent this disease through a pneumonia vaccine.

Protection against the pneumonia can be provided by a vaccine. Why is it important to prevent pneumonia? Because the infection of the lungs can be spread to other parts of the body and damage the whole organism. Getting a pneumonia vaccine is a good thing to do especially for old people and for people with weakened immune system.

The pneumonia vaccine is also recommended to people that work in hospitals or that have to spend some time in a hospital because the pneumonia is spreading through air and if one infected patient sneezes or coughs, the germ can spread on a very wide area and infect many people. The vaccine usually lasts a lifetime and it can spare a person of a lot of trouble with only one shot. In the cases of people that suffer from other conditions or affected immune system, the vaccination is recommended to be done periodically because sometimes pneumonia can kill.

Also, in the case of people over the age of 65 but who have had a pneumonia vaccine in the past, a doctor's opinion should be asked for. That opinion will probably be to take a new vaccine because the risks are increased after that age. The vaccine begins to work after two weeks.

Although the effectiveness of the vaccine is 100%, there may be some factors that can weaken it. One of those factors would be the stress. There are cases of people that live or work in stressful environments that may require the vaccination to be taken yearly. As side effects of this vaccine, in very rare cases fever and irritation may appear.

For more information on the pneumonia vaccine, talk to your doctor. This shot can spare a man of a lot of trouble.

About the Author
What is a Diagnosis of Pneumonia ? Read about pneumonia symptoms and walking pneumonia

Current therapy for pneumonia

2008-06-27T06:33:00.000-07:00

by Groshan Fabiola

There are more clinical types of Pneumonia and each of them is cured according to the path gnomonic mechanism which is responsible for its apparition. If the pneumonia case is caused by bacteria, less severe cases are cured with oral medication administered at home and more dangerous conditions are usually treated in hospitals by intravenous antibiotics if complications like other diseases or breathing difficulties are associated. In case of viral pneumonias, there is no actual treatment but medication for relieving the signs and symptoms of the infection are required.

The doctor's choice for your particular treatment depends on different clinical expertise and on a possible resistance to certain types of antibiotics. All cases of pulmonary conditions are diagnosed after a complete registration of medical history, physical examination, chest X-ray and further laboratory testing of samples of your sputum, urine and blood tissue. Before the exact cause of your pneumonia is known, a symptomatic therapy is required; when the doctor has determined whether a virus, fungi or bacteria is responsible for your illness, he will prescribe you the specific medication in your case.

The most common therapy for previous healthy patients with no earlier antibiotic cures or with no ant biotherapy in the last three months usually consists out of the following medication: 1. Macrolids, such as Doxycycline, Clarythromicyne, Azythromicin or Erythromycin. 2. Fluorochinolones like Levofloxacin, gatifloxacin or Moxifloxacin 3. A Macrolide combined with Amoxicillin 4. A Macrolide combined with Augumentin

The therapeutic schema of patients with other associated conditions such as diabetes, cancer or heart failure, differ from case to case: 1. Macrolides like Azithromycin or Claritromycin 2. Fluoroquinolones like Levofloxacin, gatifloxacin or Moxifloxacin 3. A Macrolide combined with Amoxicillin, Augmentin, Cefpodoxime, Cefprozil or Cefuroxime.

In more severe pneumonia cases requiring hospitalization, the patients will be administered intravenous antibiotics and associated oxygen-therapy for assisting the difficult breathing. The most common type of pneumonia is caused by the bacterium called Streptococcus Pneumoniae and can be usually cured in 5-10 days of ant biotherapy. The remission period of the infection may be prolonged if pneumonia is caused by more aggressive bacteria like Pseudomonas or Legionella, by fungi or if the recovery is compromised by other medical conditions.

It is always important to take the complete medication prescribed by the physician and not only until symptoms disappear. Otherwise, it is possible that the blamed bacteria will get resistant to the antibiotic and cause more severe reoccurrence in the future; in this case the infectious germ will no longer respond to the previous antibiotic administered and the cure will be hardened.

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

Pneumonia-Diseases (II)

2008-04-30T22:31:00.000-07:00

by Robert Baird

Because pneumonia varies so much, no generalizations can be made about its outcome. In old, weak, or debilitated people, the main risk is death. Any type of pneumonia may lead to pleurisy , or empyema . The most dangerous type of pneumonia is caused by viruses such as an influenza virus, because they do not respond to antibiotics. Compare the mortality rate for viral pneumonia in the accompanying table with that for a form of pneumonia caused by pneumococcus bacteria, which is similarly virulent but can be treated with antibiotic drugs. With increasing age or chronic illness, your chances of surviving even a mild case of pneumonia are reduced more and more with time. What should be done?

Even if you have some of the symptoms usually associated with pneumonia, do not assume that you have it. Assume instead that you have a cold or some other infection of the respiratory tract, and take care of yourself accordingly. Consult your physician at once, however, if you become short of breath even when lying down, if your chest hurts when you breathe, or if you cough up blood stained sputum. Your physician will probably listen to your chest through a stethoscope, percuss, or finger tap, your chest, and ask you questions about the onset of symptoms and your smoking and drinking habits. It may be possible to make a firm diagnosis of pneumonia, and even of the type of pneumonia, based on such an examination. However, further tests such as a chest X-ray and laboratory examination of both blood and phlegm samples may also prove to be necessary. What is the treatment?

Self-help: None is possible.

Professional help: Because pneumonia can unexpectedly become severe in a matter of hours, your physician may recommend hospitalization. The best treatment may be simply a combination of warmth, soothing cough medicines, and antibiotics. However, close professional supervision and observation are highly desirable during the early stages of pneumonia, especially if there is some doubt about the precise nature and extent of the inflammation.

Antibiotic drugs may be given orally or by injection. There is a wide variety of antibiotics, and the choice for your case will depend largely on the probable cause of your illness. Laboratory tests of your blood and sputum should indicate what is causing your infection. Your doctor will also need to find out if there are any antibiotics to which you are either allergic or particularly responsive.

Analgesics such as aspirin help to relieve chest pain. If you are very breathless and turning blue, you are probably in need of oxygen, which is generally supplied with a face mask or a tube in your nose. If your lungs remain troublesome in spite of all attempts at treatment, your physician may recommend further tests. For example, bronchoscopy may be done to exclude the possibility of lung cancer .

A healthy young person should recover completely within two to three weeks. Even in cases of viral pneumonia, the chances of serious complications are minimal, since antibiotics can prevent secondary bacterial infection. Following recovery, you may still feel very tired for a long time after the infection is gone. A heavy cigarette smoker, or someone who is vulnerable in some other way, may take several months to recover from the illness or may die.

About the Author
For more info about diseases guide and prevention for diseases have a look at authors site. Also get information about Digestive Disorders.

Pneumonia-Diseases (I)

2008-04-17T22:29:00.000-07:00

Pneumonia-Diseases (I)
by Robert Baird

Pneumonia is not a specific disease. It is a general term for several kinds of inflammation of the lungs. Pneumonia is usually caused by a bacterial or viral infection, but it can also be caused by chemical damage to the lungs from inhaling a poisonous gas such as chlorine. The pneumonia, or lung inflammation, can be anything from a mild complication of an upper respiratory tract infection to a life- threatening illness.

The symptoms, the treatment, the impact, and the outcome of pneumonia depend on the cause, the general health of the person concerned, and on other factors. Viral pneumonia, for instance, does not respond to treatment with antibiotics. See the accompanying table for a comparison of the causes and likely results of five of the most common types of pneumonia.

The variability of pneumonia has led to many popular and medical descriptive terms. If you are told that you have "double" pneumonia, it means that both your lungs are affected. If your attack is due to bacteria-like microbes called Mycoplasma, you may be said to have "atypical" pneumonia. "Bronchopneumonia" is patchy inflammation of one or both lungs, and "lobar" pneumonia affects the entire area of one or more lobes of the lung. When your physician determines what kind of pneumonia you have, you can ask for a description of that type. What are the symptoms?

No single symptom is characteristic of all types of pneumonia. You should consider the possibility of pneumonia, however, if you already have a respiratory illness with symptoms such as a cough and fever, and you become short of breath while at rest and for no apparent reason. Additional symptoms to watch for besides coughing and a temperature are chills; sweating; chest pains; cyanosis, or a bluish tinge to the skin; blood in the phlegm; and, occasionally, mental confusion or delirium. The larger the lung area that is affected, the more severe the symptoms you experience will be.

How quickly the symptoms begin and which symptoms are most prominent varies with the cause of the infection. An especially virulent strain of the influenza virus can cause a pneumonia that can kill a feeble person within 24 hours. In a healthy young adult, pneumonia resulting from a mild respiratory infection might cause symptoms that are no worse than those of an ordinary cold. What are the risks?

In the United States, about 15 people out of 1,000 have pneumonia each year. The disorder is often the final complication of some other debilitating disorder, and this is why many people who get pneumonia die. Any one whose resistance is already low is very susceptible to pneumonia, so for people who are dying of heart failure, cancer, stroke or chronic bronchitis, the actual cause of death is often pneumonia. In anyone who is semiconscious or paralyzed, infection of the lungs is extremely likely. This is because under such conditions the normal coughing reflex that keeps the lungs clear of mucus and stagnant fluid is reduced, or even absent.

You are also more likely than other people to get pneumonia if you are very young (under 2) or very old (over 75), if you have a chronic chest disease such as asthma or some other chronic illness that reduces your body's resistance to infections, or if you are a heavy smoker or drinker. If you are under longterm treatment with immune or anti-inflammatory drugs, especially steroids, you are also susceptible to pneumonia. These drugs decrease the body's normal defenses against infection.

General information on how to treat pneumonia

2008-04-04T22:29:00.000-07:00

by Groshan Fabiola

In the US there are many cases of pneumonia, sometimes the situation of those hospitalized for pneumonia is not that severe, but safety is applied in treating pacients so thaey are held under observation in the hospital, although some of these cases may be treated efficiently at home.

How to classify in order of severity

Class 1 includes least risk factors so is least severe, class 5 regarded as most severe. Patients in class one with severe symptoms need to be hospitalized those in class 5 are treated as outpatients. In a simple physical examination patients with low risk categories include the symptoms: they are under age 50, have no major illnesses, no seroius symptoms . Those who need to be hospitalized are: any infant under a month, young adults with alcoholism or severe psychiatric conditions, with abnormal heart rhythms, who are vomiting heavily.

Some other 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.

Home Treatment Some of the patients may need only homecare. Patients treated at home with oral antibiotics need to drink plenty of liquids. Coughing has its role in clearing the lungs. Mild pain is treated with aspirin (adults only), acetaminophen (Tylenol and other brands), or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, Rufen). For severe pain we should have administered codeine. Aromatic oils containing oregano, thyme, and rosewood are pleasant and may destroy S. Pneumoniae. In hospital the standard treatment is intravenous administration of antibiotics for five to eight days or two to three days in uncomplicated cases. Most patients are stable after three days and can leave the hospital. Temperature, respiration rate, heart rate, blood pressure, oxygenation, mental function should achieve normal limits before the patient is externed from the hospital and doctors monitor those functions regularly.

Chest Therapy Chest therapy consists of spirometry and chest tapping to loosen the mucus and move it out of the lungs. The patient uses an incentive spirometer at regular intervals, the spirometer is used to exhale through the tube and inhale as strong as possible. This helps the patient to exercise the lungs and to determine its lung function. When the patient is coughing as deeply as possible he eliminates the sputum.

Worldwide, pneumonia it's a leading cause of death in children, many of them younger than a year old. Because the disease can be very serious, it's best to try to prevent infection(flu or cold) in the first place. Signs and symptoms can vary greatly, sometimes it doesn't seem to be pneumonia and the treatment is not taken seroiusly.

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

High death toll from pneumonia

2008-03-20T22:27:00.000-07:00

by Sharon Bell

Pneumonia kills over 60,000 Americans every year and it remains a leading cause of death of children worldwide. This is tragic considering the fact that the disease can be cured with early detection and treatment.

Pneumonia is the inflammation of the lung in which the air spaces are filled with mucus and fluid, making breathing difficult. The disease has many causes and can be fatal in very young and very old patients.

Bacterial pneumonia, which is the more dangerous type of the disease, can be caused by infection with pneumococci, staphylococci and other forms of bacteÂ¬ria. This is usually confined to just one area of the lung and is called lobar pneumonia.

"Among children 12 and under, the most frequent cause of pneumonia is the bacteria pneumococcus. Among adolescents and young adults, the most frequent infective agent is a bacteria like microbe called Mycoplasma pneumoniae; symptoms at first are like those of a chest cold, with a dry cough and then a sputum producing cough," explained Dr. Harold C. Neu, professor of medicine and head of Infectious DisÂ¬eases in â€œThe Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons Complete Home Medical Guide.

"Bacterial pneumonia can also be a complication of influenza A. Often the symptoms of flu have disappeared, then suddenly the patient is worse with fever, cough, and shortness of breath. The recuperating victim this time has a full-fledged case of bacterial pneumonia and all its distressing symptoms. These secondary infections are most often caused by the pneumoccos, Haemophilus, or worst of all the staphylococcus. This microbe can be so deadly so doctors usually prescribe antibiotics that can destroy all three of the possible microorganisms," Neu added.

Another type of bacterial pneumonia is caused by streptococci (Diplococcus pneumoniae) and usually follows an upper respiratory tract infection. It is characterized by the sudden onset of chills and high fever.

The risk of acquiring the disease increases in those who have AIDS, heart disease, and diabetes, those who smoke and drink a lot, exposure to certain chemicals or pollutants, and in those who are hospitalized or have had surgery. Treatment depends on the severity of symptoms and the type of pneumonia you have.

To diagnose pneumonia, the physician will first listen to the chest, checking for fine, crackling noises, and then tap it, being alert for characteristic dull thuds. A certain diagnosis cannot be made, however, without chest x-rays, which will show patches in the lungs where air sacs are filled with fluid and debris instead of air. To determine the particular infective agent, lab tests can be done on blood and sputum samples, but the results are not 100 percent accurate," Neu said.

How serious pneumonia is for you depends on your overall health and the type and extent of pneumonia you have. If you're young and healthy, your pneumonia can usually be treated successfully. But if you have heart failure or lung ailments, especially from smoking, or if you're older, your pneumonia may be harder to cure. You're also more likely to develop complications, some of which can be life-threatening,â€ warned the Mayo Clinic.

To strengthen your body, take Immunitril â€" your first line of defense in maintaining a healthy immune system. For details, visit http://www.bodestore.com/immunitril.html.

About the Author
Sharon Bell is an avid health and fitness enthusiast and published author. Many of her insightful articles can be found at the premier online news magazine http://www.HealthLinesNews.com.

How to treat pneumonia

2008-03-09T07:55:00.000-07:00

by Groshan Fabiola

The therapy for pneumonia is different for each case dependoing on severity of symptoms and type of pneumonia. In bacterial one doctors recommend antibiotics, so do not stop taking them earlier because you observe a remission in symptoms. Viral forms of pneumonia can't be treated with antibiotics, so doctors suggest antiviral medications, rest and plenty of fluids. It may take more time to recover from a viral pneumonia than from a bacterial one. In Mycoplasma pneumonias antibiotics have given good results, over-the-counter medications to reduce fever, treat your aches and pains, and soothe the cough are also recommended. Coughing helps clear your lungs so don't use suppressants.

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. Some of the patients may need only homecare. Patients treated at home with oral antibiotics need to drink plenty of liquids. In hospital the standard treatment is intravenous administration of antibiotics for five to eight days or two to three days in uncomplicated cases and oxygen administration. Most patients are stable after three days and can leave the hospital.

Prevention

Pneumonia is not the kind of disease you take from someone else, you develop it because your immune system is temporarily weakened. You need to get vaccinated in order to prevent pneumonia, after age 65 have a vaccination against pneumococcal pneumonia every year. Prevnar is a vaccine that helps protect young children against pneumonia, if you're younger but have a lung or cardiovascular disease, diabetes or sickle cell anemia you are indicated to have vaccine. You should wash your hands properly, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Stop smoking, have a healthy diet with fresh fruits and vegetables, physical exercise.

To reduce the complications in pneumonia and accelerate the healing you should get plenty of rest, drink lots of fluids, don't stop taking your medicatio when you start feeling better and follow the appointments your doctor requires from you in order to monitor you properly. Because the disease can be very serious, it's best to try to prevent infection(flu or cold) in the first place. Signs and symptoms can vary greatly, sometimes it doesn't seem to be pneumonia and the treatment is not taken seroiusly.

Some of the patients may need only homecare. Patients treated at home with oral antibiotics need to drink plenty of liquids. Coughing has its role in clearing the lungs. Mild pain is treated with aspirin (adults only), acetaminophen (Tylenol and other brands), or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, Rufen). For severe pain we should have administered codeine. Most patients are stable after three days and can leave the hospital.

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

Pneumonia - The simple facts and the cures

2008-02-26T22:04:00.000-08:00

What is Pneumonia: Pneumonia is an infection that causes the air sacs in the lungs to fill with fluid, making it hard for you to breathe, and causes you to cough up phlegm. Pneumonia is an ancient Greek word, which means 'lungs'. Pneumonia can occur in patients of all age groups, but young children, and older people are especially at risk.

What causes Pneumonia: Pneumonia is caused by many things. However, bacteria are the most common causes of pneumonia. The most common bacteria that causes pneumonia is 'Streptococcus pneumoniae', Streptococcus pyogenes or Group A Streptococcus can also cause pneumonia. Workers that are exposed to cattle are at a risk for pneumonia caused by anthrax.

Symptoms Of Pneumonia: There are quite a few symptoms that may show up with Pneumonia, the most common ones are: Cough with a yellow or greenish mucus or Phlegm, Fever often with chills and the shakes, Soreness or pain in the chest, worsened by breathing deeply or coughing, Shallow breathing, Shortness of breath, Bloody mucus or phlegm, Headache, Sweating and sometimes clammy skin, Fatigue and weakness, Decreased appetite. If left untreated Pneumonia can advance to 'blood poisoning', and severe respiratory distress. Treatment For Pneumonia: If you have a bacterial pneumonia, you will need to take an antibiotic. The antibiotic will depend on your age, and your medical conditions. You should also drink lots of fluids to stay hydrated, since this helps your body fight the pneumonia. Anti-fever medicines such as Tylenol or Advil may also help you feel better. Cough as much as you comfortably can, to help clear the mucus and phlegm from your lungs. You must avoid cigarette or other tobacco smoke while you recover from pneumonia, since smoking hurts your body's ability to fight infection and makes your healing take a lot longer. If you've been diagnosed with viral pneumonia, you need to rest and drink plenty of fluids. If you work much or over-exert yourself when you have viral pneumonia, you can possibly get sicker. You can use over the counter medicines to reduce fever, body aches, and cough. You can take over the counter medicines such as Tylenol to help you feel better, but you still must rest and drink lots of fluids in order for your body to heal and get better.

Pneumonia Prevention: There are a few things you can do to help reduce your risk for getting Pneumonia, such as: Washing your hands frequently, Don t smoke, and avoid second-hand smoke, Stay away from those who have a cold or the flu, Drink plenty of fluids, Keep Active, and if your in the Hospital try deep breathing exercises and cough up any mucus or Phlegm to help keep the lungs exercised and clear.

There is a website that provides cures, facts and other great information on Pneumonia and numerous medical conditions, the website is called: All About Health, and can be found at this url:

http://www.rb59.com/medical-health-info

By Robert W. BenjaminCopyright © 2007 You may publish this article in your ezine, newsletter, or on your web site as long as it is reprinted in its entirety and without modification except for formatting needs or grammar corrections.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Robert W. Benjamin has been in the software business on the internet for over 5 years, and has been producing low-cost software for the past 25+ years. He first released products on the AMIGA and C64 computer systems in the late 1970's-80's.Fishing Stringer http://www.fishingstringer.com

Treatments for pneumonia

2008-02-21T22:34:00.000-08:00

by Groshan Fabiola

The treatment for the different pneumonia types depends on the pathognomonic agent that is causing it; bacterial pneumonia can be deled with by antibiotics but these are however no good when the condition is caused by a virus or fungi. Infective pneumonia must be immediately treated to prevent the infection from spreading to other subjects as well.

The treatment must necessarily follow some important steps: the medication must be taken according to the doctor's prescription and only stopped at its recommendation if not useful, pain and fever symptoms must be cared for by taking acetaminophen or other similar medication, a humidifier or vaporizer with cold air can be helpful to make the air more easy to breathe, stay in bed as long as the fever is still high and drink 6-8 glasses of water per day.

Aspiration pneumonia occurs when different fluids, food or dust particles get into the air tubes and obstructs the passing of the air. Assisted breathing will be required with an open-ended tube placed inside the trachea which will provide the lungs with oxygen and allow the air currents to move freely into and out f the lungs.

The evolution of pneumonia often depends on the causing factor, the health estate of the patient and the patient's age; in case of additional conditions or very young or very advanced age, pneumonias can be fatal. A vaccine is available to protect against the bacterial pneumonia but it offers no protection against viral types of pneumonia. Most of the people only require vaccination once in their lives, but Immunodeficient persons can consult their doctor to see if a second vaccine is necessary.

The risk groups requiring a secondary vaccination include persons over the age of 65 and all persons known to suffer from a chronic condition that might expose them at great risk in case of pneumonia. Children under the age of two, pregnant women and nursing ladies should not be vaccinated. The anti flu vaccine can also protect against one type of viral pneumonia but it must be done each year due to the constant mutation of its structure. The pneumococcal vaccine must be given n the same year period with the Influenza-vaccine most recommended in the early to mid fall.

Pneumonia can also be avoided by taking personal hygiene measures like washing your hands before every meal or avoid organism responsible for causing any respiratory condition such as flu or cold. The normal used soaps are effective enough against any type of germs. Your daily meal must contain antioxidants found in fresh fruits and vegetables. Physical exercises and breathing exercises can increase your lung capacity. Avoiding smoking is extremely helpful in preventing the occurrence of ea pneumonia.

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

New information on pneumonia treatment and prevention

2008-02-07T22:28:00.000-08:00

by Groshan Fabiola

Surgery If pneumonia gets complicated with empyema, abscess, then one might need surgical procedures such as: thoracotomy, thoracentesis. Chest tubes are needed to drain the infected fluid, they remain in place for 1-3 days and may perforate the diaphragm and accidentally injure the lung.

Pneumonia prevention

Avoid and treat colds and influenza as soon as possible and as efficiently as possible. Maintain a good hygiene of your hands, have a rich diet in dark-colored fruits and vegetables and fresh food, have an active socially life, take different zinc preparations because studies have shown that zinc has substantial benefits against colds, flus, allergies, pneumonia. Zinc has good effects on the inflammatory response and immune system, its action is unknownb but its effects are clear.

Side efeects included are: dry mouth, constipation, bad taste, in case of superdosage vomiting, dehydration, and restlessness address as quickly as possible a physician. Zinc may also produce allergies and interact with other medication, it reduces the absorption of certain antibiotics. Zinc absorption is reduced by high amounts of calcium or phosphorus. And if taken for a long time zinc causes copper deficiencies.

Vitamin C Studies have shown that flu, cold are reduced by large doses of vitamin C. Vitamin C appears to have preventive effects and helps the infection to be cured more rapidly. But taking high doses of vitamin C determins headaches and intestinal and urinary problems and even kidney stones. Increases iron absorption so people with blood disorders shouldn't take large doses of vitamin C.

Echinacea is a herbal remedy that prevents the onset and symptoms of a flu. But it hasn't been determined exactly which type of Echinacea is usefull and if the whole plant or only the roots and herb are effective. What you should watch aut when taking Echinacea is that there may appear allergic reactions such as: erythema nodosum with muscle and joint aches, and sore throat and fever. You shouldn't take natural remedy without the doctor's approuval. Vaccines for Haemophilus Influenzae All children should be vaccinated against Haemophilus influenzae, especially those under five years.

Pneumococcal Vaccines People of all ages should be given pneumococcal vaccines to prevent flus and pneumonia. It has been demonstrated that this vaccine protects children in day care from serious respiratory infections. Those with high risk at the administration of the vaccine are: children with sickle-cell disease, adults or children who have immune deficiencies, patients with kidney disease or kidney transplants, patients with splin problems, alcoholics. Sometimes the vaccine protection lasts for over six years.

Antiviral Agents are used to treat and prevent influenza A, B. Amantadine (Symmetrel) and rimantadine (Flumadine) are M2 inhibitors. They have the following benefits: offer protection against influenza A and prevent severe illness, lessen the severity of the flu but they may cause nausea, vomiting, and indigestion.

Neuraminidase Inhibitors such as: Zanamivir (Relenza) and oseltamivir (Tamiflu) are designed to block a key viral enzyme, neuraminidase, which is involved with viral replication. So, they are effective for treating and preventing A and B strains of influenza, they may even help reduce transmission of the virus, they may reduce complications of influenza.

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

Treatment options in Pneumonia

2008-01-31T22:39:00.000-08:00

by Groshan Fabiola

Most of the cases of pneumonia are triggered by bacterial factors and are usually treated with 5-10 days of ant biotherapy, even longer in case of an impaired immune system. The doctor will choose the most appropriate antibiotic for your condition after taking notice of your age, symptoms, their severity and the eventual need for hospitalization. Most physicians recommend a broad-spectrum antibiotic with bactericide effects on a large number of bacteria; still, most of the antibiotics available have a good curing effect on pneumonia.

In less severe cases with no need for hospitalization, the doctor will prescribe you one of the next possible treatments: 1. Macrolides such as Biaxin, Biaxin XL, Ery-tab or Zithromax. 2. Tetracyclines like Doxycycline 3. Fluoroquinolones such as Levaquin or Avelox.

In case of hospital care, the mentioned antibiotics may also be administered but in addition, other several ones are available for more severe cases of pneumonia: 1. Cephalosporines like Ceclor, Duricef or Ceftin. 2. Penicillin like Augumentin, Amoxil, Omnipen, Biomox or Timentin 3. Vancomycin Mild to moderate pneumonia cases can also be cured with a new-generation antibiotic class called Ketolides.

In healthy young subjects, the effects of the proper ant biotherapy must usually be seen in about 2-3 days. If by this time the symptoms show no real amelioration, you might need bacterial culture and testing for sensitivity to antibiotics. This will allow the physician to determine which organism is responsible for your pneumonia type and whether you have developed resistance to that particular antibiotic.

Hospitalization is only requited in over 65 years old patients, associated conditions like diabetes, heart or kidney failure, severe illness with hypoxia, severe chest pain, no real improvements after therapy or the impossibility to eat or keep food when in this case intravenous feeding is required.

Pneumonia can also be caused by viruses similar to the Influenza causing the flu or the varicella-zoster virus causing chicken-pox. For viral types of pneumonia there is currently no actual treatment except home stay, care and treatment for the symptoms. Pneumonia cases caused by Varicella virus can be cured by using the medication called Acyclovir.

If your case is not severe enough to require hospitalization, you will not need to identify the responsible bacteria. If you have been hospitalized, additional testing will be done to find the exact cause of pneumonia. If you immediately start the ant biotherapy you will see a faster improvement and you will rapidly feel better.

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

Diagnosing process in pneumonia

2008-01-18T07:53:00.000-08:00

by Groshan Fabiola

There are two main categories of pneumonia based on how the disease was contacted. There is community acquired pneumonia and hospital acquired pneumonia. If a person suffers from the first category of pneumonia, then the diagnosing process can be very simple, based only on a physical examination and the medical history of the patient. However, this is only if his/ her pneumonia is mild to moderate. On the other hand, if a person suffers from hospital acquired pneumonia, diagnosing the condition can be very difficult.

The first step when diagnosing pneumonia is to know the personal as well as medical history of the patient. Some of the important aspects that the pneumonia patient must be sure to tell his/ her doctor are: - if he/ she has suffered from any recent respiratory infection or if he/ she had such an infection; - if you have been in contact with anybody that has pneumonia or suffers from other problems of the respiratory system; - you should also tell your doctor if you are a smoker, or if you use any drugs or drink alcohol; even if you have quite, you should still tell your doctor because any information is very important in diagnosing pneumonia;

A second step in diagnosing pneumonia is a physical exam. The most used and also very important tool that is used to diagnose pneumonia is the stethoscope. With the help of this instrument, your doctor can listen to the sounds of your chest. The most suggestive sounds that can indicate pneumonia are: - rales: a bubbling sound; if these reales are heard on one side of your chest or when you are lying down, then they indicate that you have pneumonia; - rhonchi: unusual rumblings that indicate the presence of a very thick fluid; Another test used to diagnose pneumonia is percussion. Your doctor will tap your chest and if a dull thud is heard instead of a drum like sound, then you probably are suffering from pneumonia. In this case further tests must be done to proper diagnose pneumonia.

This is the easy part, because this is the way people that have community acquired pneumonia are diagnosed. However, when it comes to people that are possible suspects of hospital acquired pneumonia, then diagnosing this condition ca be very difficult. The main reason for this is that all these possible pneumonia patients have similar signs.

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

Triggers and causes of pneumonia

2008-01-10T22:40:00.000-08:00

by Groshan Fabiola

Pneumonia is the inflammation of the lungs usually triggered by viruses, bacteria or fungi. It can result as a complication of an earlier infection of the respiratory system and usually goes off when the body's immune system is weakened by common viral infections such as those caused by Influenza.

There are many clinical types of pneumonia according to the localization of the infection; when the illness only affects one pulmonary lobe it is called lobar pneumonia, when the pneumonia involves the bronchia, it can affect both lungs.

Pneumonia associated or caused by the virus Influenza is known to be the seventh cause of death among the population of the USA. Most affected by pulmonary infections are elder persons of 65 and over; about 715000 cases of pneumonia are registered in female patients every year in America while the male number of pneumonia patient is about 680000 per year.

The most often encountered cause of fungal pneumonia is triggered by Pneumocystis carinii and is mostly seen in persons with a weak immune system very often due to the HIV infection. Some related disease of the pulmonary system like tuberculosis can also be responsible for the occurrence of pneumonia. An also commonly encountered cause of pneumonia is the inhalation of food, gases, liquids or even dust.

In spite of the mentioned triggers, the most common cause of pneumonias all over the world is viruses affecting especially young persons. Viral infections are usually due to the respiratory syncitial virus and have similar symptoms with conditions caused by the virus Influenza. The usual symptoms of viral pneumonia are fever, headaches, dry cough, muscle pains, weakness and increasing breathing difficulties.

Most of the bacterial-linked cases of pneumonia are triggered by Streptococcus Pneumoniae especially active when the body' immune system is weakened. This type of pneumonia can produce major damages to the entire organism due to the high potential of the bacteria to multiply and spread to the brain causing meningitis or to the bloodstream causing bacteriemia. The onset of bacterial pneumonia can be sudden or prolonged and will debutate with symptoms like chills, chest pains, cough with rust colored or greenish mucus, tachycardia and increased breathing rate. Also causing pneumonia are small Mycoplasmas evolving with violent attacks and sparse whitish mucus.

Most of the pneumonia cases have no actual treatment; bacterial ones can be cured with antibiotics but a developing resistance is also possible after the ant biotherapy. A vaccine against bacterial pneumonia is also available but its action is only guaranteed for about 80% of the healthy population. Influenza vaccination is also recommended as the two illnesses are linked with each other in many cases.

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

What are the complications of pneumonia?

2008-01-06T07:49:00.000-08:00

by Groshan Fabiola

Pneumonia is a very serious condition that also has some very severe complications. Pneumonia is on the third place on the list of most frequent causes of hospitalization. More than a million and a half people that suffer from pneumonia are hospitalized every year. Although most of the people that suffer from pneumonia respond very well to treatment and most of them are cured, the infection caused by pneumonia is still a serious problem that can bring a lot of complications. In some countries, pneumonia is the first cause of death because of an infection.

The severity of pneumonia depends on several factors like age, the state of their health or weak immune system. However, even if you do not suffer from a very serious case of pneumonia, there is always the risk of developing a complication. The most common pneumonia complications are: abscesses, respiratory failure and bacteremia.

Abscesses are some of the most dangerous pneumonia complications. These are cavities filled with pus that are found in your lungs. Besides the fact that they are filled with pus, these pneumonia complications also have thick walls and they form when the infection that you have has destroyed your lung tissue. These pneumonia complications are the result of a mixture of organisms that are carried into your lungs. If these abscesses are not treated, this can cause hemorrhage and thus can lead to death. However, there are many antibiotics available that can reduce the risk of death or hemorrhage considerably.

Another complication of pneumonia can be respiratory failure. This is actually the main cause of death in patients that suffer from pneumococcal pneumonia. When your lungs are not able to function properly, the quantity of oxygen is reduced and you risk to die. As you can see, this is a very serious pneumonia complication. Failure to breath can happen from the changes in your lungs that occur when you suffer from pneumonia. Failure can also occur when you loose the needed oxygen from your arteries when your pneumonia case results in a very abnormal flow of the blood.

The third pneumonia complication is bacteremia, that means bacteria in your blood. This is one of the complications that mostly happens in cases of streptococcus pneumonia. However, there are few the cases where this infection actually spreads to other locations of your body. Bacteremia is also a very common complication of some other gram negative microbes, which include haemophilus influenzae.

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

Risk factors for pneumonia

2008-01-02T07:47:00.000-08:00

by Groshan Fabiola

There are a lot of risk factors when it comes to pneumonia. These factors mainly apply to adults. Some of the most common risk factors for pneumonia are: environmental pollutants, alcohol, drugs, serious lung problems or a weakened immune system.

Environmental pollutants and smoke are some of the most important risk factors in pneumonia. If a person smokes more than one pack of cigarettes a day he/ she risks to develop pneumonia much more than a person who does not smoke. Moreover, even if you are not a smoker, but are exposed daily to cigarette smoke, then you are at risk of developing pneumonia as much as a person who smokes is. If you quit smoking, then the risk of developing pneumonia is reduced very much, but the entire benefits of quitting take almost ten years until they are realized. Besides cigarette smoke, industrial smoke, toxic fumes or any other pollutants can damage cilia as well, putting you at risk of developing pneumonia.

Alcohol and drugs, either combined or used separately are also a very big risk factor in pneumonia cases. These are substances that act like sedatives, thus diminishing your reflexes that trigger sneezing and coughing. Furthermore, alcohol intercedes with the actions of your white blood cells, that play the role of destroying bacteria. So the quantity of alcohol you drink is highly related with developing pneumonia or any other infectious disease. People that used drugs intravenously are also very much at risk of developing pneumonia because they can suffer from an infection at the site of the injection, infections that then can spread through your blood stream.

Dormitory conditions, believe it or not, can also be risk factors for pneumonia. Studies have shown that students or recruits are more likely to develop pneumonia than a normal person. However, studies have also shown that these people are more likely to develop a milder pneumonia and they are at lower risk of developing a more serious pneumonia type.

Your immune system also plays a very important risk in pneumonia cases. People that have an impaired immune system are very susceptible to pneumonia. Any conditions that somehow compromises your immune system makes you very vulnerable to pneumonia.

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

Effective Natural Cures For Pneumonia

2007-12-27T07:43:00.000-08:00

by Krishan Bakhru

To begin with, the patient should be'" kept on a diet of raw juices for five to seven days, depending on the severity of the disease. In this regimen, he should take a glass of fruit or vegetable juice, diluted with warm water on 50:50 basis, every two hours. Fruits such as orange, mussombi, apple, pineapple and grapes and vegetables like carrots and tomatoes may be used for juices.

After a diet of raw juices, when the fever subsides, the patient should spend three or four further days on an exclusive fresh fruit diet, taking three meals a day of juicy fruits such as apple, grapes, pineapple, mango, orange, lemon and papaya. Thereafter, he may gradually adopt a well-balanced diet of natural foods consisting of seeds, nuts and grains, vegetables and fruits, with emphasis on fresh fruits and raw vegetables. The patient should be given warm water enema daily to cleanse the bowels during the period of raw juice therapy and all-fruit diet and thereafter, when necessary.

The patient should avoid strong tea, coffee, refined foods, fried foods, white sugar, white flour and all products made from them, condiments and pickles. He should also avoid all meats as well as alcoholic beverages and smoking.

Certain home remedies have been found beneficial in the treatment of pneumonia. During the early acute stage of this disease, herbal tea made from fenugreek seeds will help the body to produce perspiration, dispel toxicity and shorten the period of fever. It can be taken up to four cups daily. The quantity should be reduced as condition improves. To improve flavour, a few drops of lemon juice can be used. During this treatment, no other food or nourishment should be taken as fasting and fenugreek will help the body to correct these respiratory problems.

According to Dr. F. W. Crosman, an eminent physician, garlic is a marvellous remedy for pneumonia, if given in sufficient quantities. This physician used garlic for many years in pneumonia, and said that in no instance did it fail to bring down the temperature as well as the pulse and respiration, within 48 hours. Garlic juice can also be applied externally to the chest with beneficial results as it is an irritant and rubefacient.

Sesame seeds are valuable in pneumonia. An infusion of the seeds, mixed with a tablespoon of linseed, a pinch of common salt and desertspoon of honey, should be given in the treatment of this disease. This will help remove catarrhal matter and phlegm from the bronchial tubes.

The pain of pneumonia can be relieved by rubbing oil of turpentine over the rib cage and wrapping warmed cotton wool over it.

About the Author
Author's Sites: Herbal Remedies , Anxiety Treatments and Natural Home Remedies for Heartburn

Pneumonia - The simple facts and the cures

2007-12-24T22:48:00.000-08:00

by Robert W. Benjamin

What is Pneumonia: Pneumonia is an infection that causes the air sacs in the lungs to fill with fluid, making it hard for you to breathe, and causes you to cough up phlegm. Pneumonia is an ancient Greek word, which means 'lungs'. Pneumonia can occur in patients of all age groups, but young children, and older people are especially at risk.

What causes Pneumonia: Pneumonia is caused by many things. However, bacteria are the most common causes of pneumonia. The most common bacteria that causes pneumonia is 'Streptococcus pneumoniae', Streptococcus pyogenes or Group A Streptococcus can also cause pneumonia. Workers that are exposed to cattle are at a risk for pneumonia caused by anthrax.

Symptoms Of Pneumonia: There are quite a few symptoms that may show up with Pneumonia, the most common ones are: Cough with a yellow or greenish mucus or Phlegm, Fever often with chills and the shakes, Soreness or pain in the chest, worsened by breathing deeply or coughing, Shallow breathing, Shortness of breath, Bloody mucus or phlegm, Headache, Sweating and sometimes clammy skin, Fatigue and weakness, Decreased appetite. If left untreated Pneumonia can advance to 'blood poisoning', and severe respiratory distress.

Treatment For Pneumonia: If you have a bacterial pneumonia, you will need to take an antibiotic. The antibiotic will depend on your age, and your medical conditions. You should also drink lots of fluids to stay hydrated, since this helps your body fight the pneumonia. Anti-fever medicines such as Tylenol or Advil may also help you feel better. Cough as much as you comfortably can, to help clear the mucus and phlegm from your lungs. You must avoid cigarette or other tobacco smoke while you recover from pneumonia, since smoking hurts your body's ability to fight infection and makes your healing take a lot longer. If you've been diagnosed with viral pneumonia, you need to rest and drink plenty of fluids. If you work much or over-exert yourself when you have viral pneumonia, you can possibly get sicker. You can use over the counter medicines to reduce fever, body aches, and cough. You can take over the counter medicines such as Tylenol to help you feel better, but you still must rest and drink lots of fluids in order for your body to heal and get better.

Pneumonia Prevention: There are a few things you can do to help reduce your risk for getting Pneumonia, such as: Washing your hands frequently, Don t smoke, and avoid second-hand smoke, Stay away from those who have a cold or the flu, Drink plenty of fluids, Keep Active, and if your in the Hospital try deep breathing exercises and cough up any mucus or Phlegm to help keep the lungs exercised and clear.

There is a website that provides cures, facts and other great information on Pneumonia and numerous medical conditions, the website is called: All About Health, and can be found at this url:

http://www.rb59.com/medical-health-info

By Robert W. Benjamin

Copyright © 2007

You may publish this article in your ezine, newsletter, or on your web site as long as it is reprinted in its entirety and without modification except for formatting needs or grammar corrections.

About the Author
Robert W. Benjamin has been in the software business on the internet for over 5 years, and has been producing low-cost software for the past 25+ years. He first released products on the AMIGA and C64 computer systems in the late 1970's-80's.
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Fight Chronic Pneumonia With Vitamin Supplements

2007-12-18T07:40:00.000-08:00

by Darrell Miller

Pneumonia can be caused by infection from germs such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites. It is an illness of the lungs and respiratory system which occurs when the alveoli become inflamed and flooded with fluid. Pneumonia is a common illness that occurs in all age groups and is one of the leading causes of death among elderly people who are terminally ill.

Before the discovery of antibiotics, one-third of all people who developed pneumonia died from the infection. However, nowadays over three million people develop pneumonia each year in the United States alone, with only half a million of these people being admitted to a hospital for treatment. Although most people are able to get better at home with treatment from a doctor, pneumonia can occasionally be very serious and require hospitalization. If left untreated, pneumonia can lead to serious illness and even death. Approximately 5% of the three million people that develop pneumonia each year will die from it.

Therefore it is important to receive treatment if you feel you are experiencing symptoms of pneumonia. These symptoms include fever and chills, coughing, wheezing or fast breathing, chest pain, tiredness, muscle pain, and headache. Pneumonia is usually caused by an infection that spreads to the lungs. There are vaccines available to prevent certain types of pneumonia. Pneumonia is diagnosed by health care provides based on symptoms and findings from physical examination. Information gathered from a chest X-ray, blood tests, and sputum cultures are also helpful to diagnose this illness. Diagnosing pneumonia can be especially difficult in some people, especially those with other illnesses. On rare occasions, a chest CT scan may be needed to distinguish pneumonia from other illnesses.

For those people who suffer from chronic pneumonia, there are many concerns with aging. The desire is to encourage the body to fight the infection naturally as we continue to get older. Smoking, malnutrition, kidney failure, asthma, chronic viral infections of the respiratory tract, taking immunosuppressive drugs, and a weakened immune system all predispose certain people for contracting pneumonia. There are many things you can do for yourself when considering natural alternatives for treating pneumonia. These include drinking large amounts of fluid such as water, fruit and vegetable juices, soups, broths, and herbal teas. You should also avoid caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, sugar, greasy foods, and dairy products which increase mucus production. Be sure to eat lots of raw fruits and vegetables.

Recommended supplements for those who deal with chronic pneumonia include vitamin A, beta carotene, vitamin C with bioflavonoids, and zinc. Vitamin A, which is essential for lung tissue regeneration, will also stimulate immune function. Beta carotene is a powerful antioxidant compound that can help to protect lung tissue from damage caused by smoke and infection. Vitamin C stimulates the immune system while being an anti-inflammatory compound. Additionally, it boosts immunity and scavenges free-radicals that are caused by pneumonia infection. Be sure to boost your immunity year round so that you can do all that you can to encourage your body's ability to fight off the destructive infection of chronic pneumonia.

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More information on vitamin supplements to help fight chronic pneumonia, and other diseases can be found at http://vitanetonline.com/

A Watchful Eye On Walking Pneumonia Symptoms

2007-12-15T21:42:00.000-08:00

by Ethan Armitage

Walking pneumonia is a condition caused by mycoplasma bacterium. This condition is very easily spread in the air by coughing or sneezing and can affect any men or woman.

This form of pneumonia is a mild form, easily treated but at the same time dangerous if aggravated and left untreated because its symptoms are similar with those of flu and people may not recognize it and follow an inappropriate treatment. Before the discovery of antibiotics, this condition was deadly.

Any person can encounter this condition but a greater risk is presented by children under the age of 15. This affliction can easily spread through air and in crowded places like schools or army barracks it can affect many people.

The first symptom shown by this condition is a sore throat that worsens every day. This is followed by a cough. The walking pneumonia is a mild form of pneumonia that doesn't require for the afflicted person to stay in bed so people can return to their daily duties. However, it is not recommended that infected people attend to crowded places because the infection can be spread to others. A person that suffers from walking pneumonia will have a general state of fatigue.

A great problem is represented by the similarity between the symptoms of this condition and those of a cold or flu. As in the case of cold, symptoms that may appear very soon after the coughing are mild fever and running nose. Coughing won't be stopped by regular medication, even more; it will worsen until treated with antibiotics.

A few antibiotics will easily cure the walking pneumonia in only a matter of days, but until it is discovered, it is a tricky and miserable condition with symptoms similar to a cold. By knowing all the things told above about symptoms and facts, it should be easier to make the difference between a simple flu or a cold and a more complicated infection like a walking pneumonia. However, the best thing a person can do when he or she encounters the symptoms and suspects this disease, is to consult a doctor as soon as possible.

About the Author
Diagnosis of Pneumonia facts, pneumonia symptoms presentation and walking pneumonia overview.

Overview On The Symptoms And Treatment For Pneumonia

2007-12-10T22:38:00.000-08:00

by Ethan Armitage

Infections caused by parasites and bacteria can affect the whole human body. If the infection is located in the lungs, then it is called pneumonia. This condition can cause serious complications if it is left untreated.

The inflammation of the lungs caused by the bacterial infection may not be a serious matter but it can become a life-threatening one if the infected person has a weakened immune system.

Pneumonia can be cured with antibiotics nowadays, but in the early 1900's, before the antibiotics were discovered; it was a serious condition that used to kill many people.

By the infections' location, pneumonia can be divided in two main types: lobar pneumonia, when the infection affects only one lung and bronchial pneumonia, the condition that affects both lungs. Thanks to the discovery of the antibiotics, what used to be a deadly condition in the past, has now turned into an easy to treat disease. The treatment and the cure may take, depending on every patient, between one and two weeks.

Coughing and fever are the first symptoms ever to appear in case of pneumonia. As times passes by, the fever worsens and a green liquid will appear in the cough. In the more advanced stages of the disease, the infected persons will experience pain in the chest, loosing appetite, vomiting, coughing blood and bluish skin. The symptoms vary and will not be encountered by all patients. They depend on the physical state of every person and the nature of the infection.

A doctor should be consulted immediately if a person experiences any of the symptoms mentioned above. The doctor will order some blood tests and an X-ray test and if the diagnosis will be set on pneumonia, the treatment using antibiotics will start right away.

In normal cases, the treatment will be done at home, but in more advanced cases, those who were discovered later, hospitalization may be required for a few days. Before the administration of the antibiotics, the doctor will perform some tests to establish whether the patient is allergic to any types of antibiotics and the result of those tests will be taken into consideration when prescribing a treatment.

Prevention of this disease is hard to be done because this disease can be contacted everywhere.

About the Author
Resources about pneumonia symptoms and walking pneumonia .For an understandable diagnosis of pneumonia

The Danger Signs of Pneumonia

2007-12-07T21:38:00.000-08:00

by gayle

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), pneumonia is the leading killer of children that causes more casualties than AIDS, malaria, and measles combined. Approximately two million pneumonia-related deaths occue each year, accounting for one out of every five child deaths. The annual incidence of pneumonia is estimated at 151 million new cases per year, of which 11-20 million cases accounting for about 7 to 13 percent of lung disease cases are severe enough to require hospitalization. Yet too little is being done to reduce lung disease-related deaths among children.

A study was found that only about one-fifth of caregivers know the "danger signs" of pneumonia, including its two tell-tale symptoms of fast breathing (17%) and difficult breathing (21%). A little more than half of children sick with pneumonia receive proper care. Antibiotics, the recommended treatment was only given to 1 in 5 children with pneumonia in the early 1990s.

It was found that only a small number within the population existed in the prevalence of pneumonia and in caregivers' knowledge of pneumonia's " danger signs." It is also a discouraging fact that there is an unequal care for children with pneumonia. Children from richer families and better educated mothers and those living in urban areas were more likely to receive appropriate medical treatment.

Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lung, usually caused by an infection. Three common causes are bacteria, viruses and fungi. Most cases of pneumonia among children occur sporadically and not in outbreaks. People most at risk are older than 65 or younger than 2 years of age, or already have health problems. Person-to-person transmission may occur by direct contact with infectious secretions.

Approximately 10 to 20% of all children less than 5 years old in developing countries acquire pneumonia each year. About 1% of pneumonia cases result in bronchiectasis, which increases the risk of recurrent infections. Sometimes, a child's only symptom is rapid breathing. When the pneumonia is in the lower part of the lungs near the abdomen, there may be no breathing problems at all. However, there may be fever and abdominal pain or vomiting.

When pneumonia is caused by bacteria, an infected child usually becomes sick relatively quick. The child may also experience a sudden onset of high fever and unusually rapid breathing. When pneumonia is caused by a certain virus, symptoms tend to appear more gradually and are often less severe than in pneumonia caused by bacteria.

Some types of pneumonia cause symptoms that give important clues about which germs are causing the illness. In older children and adolescents, for example, pneumonia due to Mycoplasma (also called walking pneumonia) is notorious for causing a sore throat and headache in addition to the usual symptoms of pneumonia. In general, pneumonia is not contagious, but the upper respiratory viruses that lead to it are, so it is best to keep a child away from anyone who has an upper respiratory tract infection.

According to WHO, reducing child deaths from pneumonia requires implementing effective prevention programs. This include promoting breastfeeding, reducing child under-nutrition, encouraging hand washing and raising immunization rates. A pneumococcal vaccine may be available for routine use which would likely have a significant effect in reducing child deaths from pneumonia.

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DRUGSTORETM is a reputable online drug store. From sexual health to a woman's health, sleeping aids to weight loss pills, our online pharmacy offers convenient customer access to various health medicines, including an array of health product and medicare prescription drug. SOMA'S SITE

Preventing Pneumonia By Understanding The Causes

2007-11-30T22:44:00.000-08:00

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.

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

Pneumonia and its causes, risk factors and diagnosis

2007-11-28T07:54:00.000-08:00

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.

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

Possible pneumonia causes

2007-11-26T07:51:00.000-08:00

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;

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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

2007-11-25T22:36:00.000-08:00

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.

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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

2007-11-24T22:31:00.000-08:00

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.

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

How do people "catch pneumonia"?

2007-11-23T22:18:00.000-08:00

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

2007-11-22T22:43:00.000-08:00

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.

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

Things to know about pneumonia

2007-11-21T07:50:00.000-08:00

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.

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