Introduction

Pneumonia has an impact on your lungs. Bacteria, viruses, or fungi cause this infection. It causes your lung tissue to swell resulting in the accumulation of fluid or pus in your lungs. Bacterial pneumonia tends to be more serious than viral pneumonia, which often gets better on its own. This condition can affect one or both lungs. When it affects both of your lungs, doctors call it bilateral or double pneumonia.

What are the Types of Pneumonia?

Doctors categorise pneumonia based on what causes it (virus, bacteria, or fungi) and how you get it. The main types are community-acquired, hospital-acquired, or ventilator-associated pneumonia. Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP): When you contract pneumonia outside a hospital, doctors call it community-acquired pneumonia. It can stem from: • Bacteria. • Viruses • Fungi (moulds) • Protozoa Hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP): • Healthcare-associated pneumonia (HCAP): People who have had treatment in hospitals, dialysis centers, or nursing homes can get this. • Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP): This happens 48 hours or more after doctors put a patient on a breathing machine. Aspiration pneumonia: Aspiration happens when food, drinks, saliva or vomit enters your trachea (windpipe) and ends up in your lungs.

Who has a Higher Chance of Getting Pneumonia?

Your risk of pneumonia goes up if you: • Are older than 65 or younger than two • Have a lung or heart problem - Examples include asthma, COPD, cystic fibrosis, emphysema, pulmonary fibrosis or sarcoidosis. • Live with a brain disorder that makes it hard to swallow. Conditions like dementia, Parkinson's disease and stroke increase your chance of getting aspiration pneumonia. • Stay in a hospital or long-term care home. • Use tobacco products. • Expect a baby. • Have a weakened immune system. Your immune system might be weak if you get chemotherapy, have received an organ transplant, live with HIV/AIDS, or take drugs that lower your body's defences.

What are the Signs and Symptoms of Pneumonia?

The symptoms of pneumonia vary based on its cause. They can range from mild to severe. Babies, young children, and older adults might show different symptoms. Symptoms of bacterial pneumonia: • High fever (up to 105°F or 40.5°C) • Cough that produces yellow, green, or bloody mucus • Feeling tired (fatigue) • Fast breathing • Trouble breathing • Quick heartbeat • Sweating or chills • Pain in the chest and/or belly when coughing or taking deep breaths • Not feeling hungry • Skin, lips, or nails turning bluish (cyanosis) • Feeling confused or having a changed mental state Symptoms of viral pneumonia: • Dry cough • Headache • Muscle pain • Extreme tiredness or weakness Symptoms of pneumonia in young children: • Fever, chills, general discomfort, sweating/flushed skin • Cough • Breathing difficulties or fast breathing (tachypnea) • Lack of appetite • Vomiting • Low energy • Restlessness or irritability Signs to watch for in babies and young children include: • Grunting or noisy breathing sounds • Less urine output or diapers that aren't as wet • Skin that looks pale • Lack of muscle tone • More crying than usual • Trouble eating

What Causes Pneumonia?

Pneumonia occurs when your body's defence system attacks an infection in your lungs' tiny air sacs (alveoli). This makes your lungs swell up and leak fluid. Common sicknesses that can result in pneumonia include: • Common cold (rhinovirus) • The flu (influenza virus). • Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) • Human parainfluenza virus (HPIV) • COVID-19 (SARS-COV-2) • Legionnaires' disease • Mycoplasma pneumonia bacteria • Pneumococcal disease • Pneumocystis pneumonia • Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)

How is Pneumonia Diagnosed?

To diagnose pneumonia, your doctor will ask about your medical history & conduct a physical examination. They'll use a stethoscope to listen to your lungs and might run more tests. These can include: X-rays of your chest Pulse oximetry to check your blood oxygen levels Blood tests or sputum tests Even when your doctor confirms you have pneumonia, they sometimes can't pinpoint the exact cause.

Treatment

Doctors choose pneumonia treatments based on the source - bacterial, viral, or fungal - and the severity of your infection. Treatment options are: • Antibiotics to fight bacterial pneumonia • Antifungal drugs to tackle pneumonia from fungal infections • For viral pneumonia doctors don't give medicine. It tends to clear up on its own. They may prescribe antivirals, fever-reducing medications, and other medications to alleviate symptoms. • If you're struggling to breathe, a doctor might give you additional oxygen through a nose tube or face mask.