How Do Bacteria Responsible For Causing Pneumonia Get Inside Your Airway
The short answer is: You breathe in droplets containing bacteria.
The bacteria that causes community-acquired bacterial pneumonia is very common in the community. Most people who inhale droplets containing this bacteria do not get pneumonia. The droplets simply settle down inside the nose and upper airway. The bacteria colonize the upper airway. Your immune system then attacks these bacteria. After that, your immune system either gets rid of them or prevents them from invading any further. If your immune system doesnt completely eliminate them, instead restricting them to your upper airway, you become a carrier of bacteria.
Can You Prevent Pneumonia
Pneumonia is caused by several types of germs, many of which are contagious. This means that they can be spread from person to person, potentially causing pneumonia.
You can inhale these organisms through airborne droplets that are generated when someone with the germs coughs or sneezes. You can also become infected by touching contaminated objects and then touching your face or mouth.
Fungal pneumonia typically isnt contagious. Instead, its acquired through inhaling spores present in the environment. However, infections due to P. jirovecii have been to spread between individuals.
To reduce your risk of becoming ill with pneumonia, follow the steps below.
- Practice good hygiene. Wash your hands frequently with soap and warm water. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water isnt available.
- Get vaccinated. Some causes of pneumonia have vaccines available. These include vaccines for pneumococcal disease, influenza, and Haemophilus influenzae type b .
- Avoid smoking.Smoking can damage your lungs and lower their ability to fight off infections.
- Keep your immune system healthy. This can include doing things like eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise.
In order to diagnose pneumonia, your doctor will first take your medical history and perform a physical exam. During this exam, they may listen to your lungs for bubbling or rumbling sounds that could indicate pneumonia.
Additionally, there are several other tests that can be used to help diagnose pneumonia:
Is Pneumonia Contagious In Dogs
As with canine influenza, you’re not likely to contract pneumonia from your dog. However, bacterial and viral pneumonia can be transmitted easily between dogs, especially if they are very young, older, or have a compromised immune system. If you have multiple dogs in the home, you will need to separate the healthy ones from your sick pooch.
You should also thoroughly clean all bedding, bowls, and gear, such as leashes, collars, and harnesses, to help avoid spreading the disease. In addition, be sure to wash your hands after handling your sick dog and consider wearing a protective garment over your clothing to help avoid spreading the disease that way.
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When Would I Need To Be Hospitalized For Pneumonia
If your case of pneumonia is more severe, you may need tostay in the hospital for treatment. Hospital treatments may include:
- Oxygen
- Fluids, antibiotics and other medicines given through an IV
- Breathing treatments and exercises to help loosen mucus
People most likely to be hospitalized are those who are most frail and/or at increased risk, including:
- Babies and young children
- People with weakened immune systems
- People with health conditions that affect the heart and lungs
It may take six to eight weeks to return to a normal level of functioning and well-being if youve been hospitalized with pneumonia.
Your Lungs Get Filled Up With Pus And Gunk Due To The Battle Between White Blood Cells And Bacteria Leading To Pneumonia
Unfortunately, the immune system is not always able to get rid of bacteria. When bacteria continue to grow inside your lungs, your immune system becomes overwhelmed. It starts to produce too many inflammatory chemicals. These chemicals help kill bacteria, but they also damage the lungs.
When you reach this stage, you get pneumonia. Large numbers of white blood cells accumulate inside your lungs to continue the fight with bacteria. Lots of fluids accompany white blood cells, and affected air sacs get filled up with a pus-like fluid. At this point, these fluid-containing air sacs can be seen as white areas on a chest x-ray. You are now diagnosed with pneumonia.
This is how you get pneumonia. It takes several steps after inhaling pneumonia-causing bacteria. It is difficult to avoid inhaling bacteria because they are present everywhere instead, these steps help prevent pneumonia:
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How To Treat Pneumonia In Seniors
Pneumonia can often be treated at home. The goal is to rid your body of the infection while preventing more serious complications. Pneumonia affects the lungs and breathing. This makes it vital to ensure that the body is getting the oxygen it needs to recover. Following these steps can help to manage the symptoms of fever and cough so that your loved one can recover more quickly:
Recovery from pneumonia can take anywhere from a week to months. You will need to talk to your doctor about when it is appropriate to return to a normal routine.
An early response to the signs of pneumonia can be your best strategy for a smooth recovery.
What Is Viral Pneumonia
Viruses are responsible for about one-third of all pneumonias, and they’re the most common cause of pneumonia in children younger than age 5.
Viral pneumonias tend to clear up in about one to three weeks, but they can increase your risk for bacterial pneumonia.
Viral pneumonia is usually less serious than bacterial pneumonia.
At first, the symptoms of viral pneumonia may be similar to symptoms often associated with the flu, except you may experience a dry cough that does not produce phlegm. You may also develop a fever and headache.
But within a couple of days, these symptoms typically get worse.
Adults with viral pneumonia can also expect to develop:
- Sore throat
- Loss of appetite
- Muscle pain
The flu virus is the most common cause of viral pneumonia in adults, which tends to be more serious in people with heart or lung disease, senior citizens, and pregnant women.
Not only can influenza cause pneumonia, it can also predispose people to bacterial pneumonia yet another good reason to get the yearly flu shot.
Respiratory syncytial virus pneumonia is usually a mild infection that clears up in about a week or two. It can be more severe and is more common in young children and older adults. In fact, RSV is the most common cause of pneumonia in children younger than 12 months.
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How Do Dogs Get Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammation of the air sacs of the lungs. These air sacs may fill with fluid or pus, which causes the difficulty breathing and coughing associated with the disease. Pneumonia in dogs can have different causes:
- Viral or bacterial Infectious pneumonia is the most prevalent type of pneumonia in dogs. It is caused by a viral or bacterial infection in the respiratory tract.
- Breathing in foreign material Aspiration pneumonia occurs when a dog breathes something into their lungs. Two common reasons this could happen is if a dog throws up and breathes in some of the vomit or if they inhale liquid medication while it is being administered.
- Fungus This form of pneumonia is typically caused by an inhalation of spores, which can spread through the body and cause an infection. It typically develops over time and is characterized by a moist cough and thick nasal discharge.
When To See Your Gp
You should see your GP if:
- you feel very unwell or your symptoms are severe
- your symptoms are not improving after allowing a reasonable period of time
- you feel confused, disorientated or drowsy
- you have chest pain or difficulty breathing
- you cough up blood or blood-stained phlegm
- your skin or lips develop a blue tinge
- you’re very overweight and have difficulty breathing
- you have a weakened immune system
- you have a long-term health condition
It is also important to see your GP if:
- you think your child has a chest infection
- you’re pregnant
- you’re 65 or over
and your symptoms are getting worse, or your childs condition is deteriorating.
Your GP should be able to diagnose you based on your symptoms. They will also listen to your chest using a stethoscope .
In some cases, further tests such as a chest X-ray, breathing tests and testing phlegm or blood samples may be necessary.
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Are There Treatments For Covid
Pneumonia may need treatment in a hospital with oxygen, a ventilator to help you breathe, and intravenous fluids to prevent dehydration.
Clinical trials are looking into whether some drugs and treatments used for other conditions might treat severe COVID-19 or related pneumonia, including dexamethasone, a corticosteroid.
The FDA has approved the antiviral remdesivir for treatment of patients hospitalized with COVID. The drug was origininally developed to treat the Ebola virus.
The agency rescinded an emergency use authorization for the anti-malarials chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine amid serious concerns about their safety and how well they worked against the virus.
Home Treatments For Pneumonia In Dogs
Your veterinarian can recommend the best way to care for your sick dog at home. They may suggest:
- Restricting their activity and making sure they get lots of rest.
- Offering them plenty of fresh water to help keep them from getting dehydrated.
- Sitting with your dog in the bathroom with a hot shower running for around fifteen minutes a few times a day. The steam and humidity can help thin out mucus so it can be coughed up more easily.
While your dog needs rest, they may also benefit from short bouts of exercise that can loosen mucus secretions and help your dog cough out debris. However, follow your dog’s lead and don’t force them to exercise if they’re not up for it.
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Treatment For Chest Infections
Most people with bronchitis can be treated at home and make a full recovery. Assessment of the severity of pneumonia is complex. Some patients can be managed at home on simple antibiotics. Those assessed as severe may require admission to the intensive care unit and their illness may be life threatening.Treatment options include:
- Your doctor will advise you about any medications you need to get over this attack.
- Some people need to be admitted to hospital for further treatment, particularly young children and the elderly who are at greater risk of serious complications.
- Review with your local doctor may be needed within 48 hours, especially if you are not improving, and again in six weeks to make sure that you have made a full recovery. A chest x-ray may be needed at this time.
Complications And Risk Factors
Pneumonia can sometimes cause serious complications and become life-threatening. Potential complications can include:
- breathing difficulties or even respiratory failure, which can require being placed on a ventilator in order to get oxygen
- worsening of chronic lung conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- fluid accumulation in the lungs, which can become infected and may need to be drained
- lung abscess, which is the formation of a pocket of pus in your lung
- bacteremia, when bacteria spread into your bloodstream, possibly leading to
People that may be at risk for more serious symptoms or complications include:
- children under 2 years old
- adults over 65 years old
There are several types of pneumonia. They can be classified by how you get the infection.
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Ginger Or Turmeric Tea
A persistent cough can result in chest pain. Drinking warm tea made with fresh ginger or turmeric root may help reduce this pain.
The roots of both of these plants can have a natural anti-inflammatory effect in the body.
Chop up a thumb sized piece of either root and boil it in a pint or so of water. If a person prefers strong tea, they can boil it for longer or add more of the root. If the flavor is too sharp, they can try adding a spoonful of honey.
What Happens When Bacteria Reach The Air Sacs
Once bacteria reach the deep air sacs, they face their first battle with your immune system. Your air sacs are guarded by immune cells called macrophages. Macrophages are immune cells that eat up anything harmful that makes it to the air sacs. After eating bacteria, macrophages kill them inside the cells. Killing of bacteria takes time, and macrophages cant eat any new bacteria until the majority of eaten-up bacteria have been destroyed and broken down.
When the load of bacteria reaching the air sacs is too much, macrophages cant keep up with bacteria. When that happens, bacteria roam freely inside air sacs, getting ready to grow and multiply. However, this is still too early to get pneumonia. Your immune system can still ward off bacteria, and you might not actually get pneumonia.
There are certain things that can weaken your macrophages and make you more susceptible to getting pneumonia. Alcohol abuse is the most common one. Multiple studies have identified alcoholism as a cause of significant macrophage dysfunction. Alcoholics are at a significantly higher risk of getting pneumonia.
Poor nutrition is another cause of macrophage dysfunction. It is less common in the United States, but happens frequently in developing countries. A lack of zinc in the diet has been specifically linked to dysfunctional macrophages.
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Can You Catch Pneumonia More Than Once
Yes. Pneumonia is caused by many different microbes, and so getting it once does not protect you from getting it again. If you get pneumonia more than once you may need to have more investigations to understand why this has happened. It could be due to a problem in your chest or your immune system, and you may be referred to a specialist.
How Is Pneumonia Spread From Person To Person
Pneumonia is spread when droplets of fluid containing the pneumonia bacteria or virus are launched in the air when someone coughs or sneezes and then inhaled by others. You can also get pneumonia from touching an object previously touched by the person with pneumonia or touching a tissue used by the infected person and then touching your mouth or nose.
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Diagnosis Of Pneumonia In Dogs
If your dog is sick, your veterinarian will typically start the visit by reviewing your dog’s medical history and conducting a nose-to-tail physical exam. This exam will include taking their temperature to check for fever and listening closely to the lungs with a stethoscope to detect any abnormal sounds.
Your veterinarian may also need to run additional diagnostic tests to determine what is exactly wrong, such as blood work, urinalysis, and X-rays of the chest and lungs. If it looks like it could be pneumonia, your veterinarian may wash the trachea with fluid, which allows them to collect and identify the type of bacteria that may be causing the infection. Your dog will be sedated or put under anesthesia during this treatment.
How Is Pneumonia Diagnosed
Sometimes pneumonia can be difficult to diagnose because the symptoms are so variable, and are often very similar to those seen in a cold or influenza. To diagnose pneumonia, and to try to identify the germ that is causing the illness, your doctor will ask questions about your medical history, do a physical exam, and run some tests.
Medical history
Your doctor will ask you questions about your signs and symptoms, and how and when they began. To help figure out if your infection is caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi, you may be asked some questions about possible exposures, such as:
- Any recent travel
- Exposure to other sick people at home, work or school
- Whether you have recently had another illness
Physical exam
Your doctor will listen to your lungs with a stethoscope. If you have pneumonia, your lungs may make crackling, bubbling, and rumbling sounds when you inhale.
Diagnostic Tests
If your doctor suspects you may have pneumonia, they will probably recommend some tests to confirm the diagnosis and learn more about your infection. These may include:
- Blood tests to confirm the infection and to try to identify the germ that is causing your illness.
- Chest X-ray to look for the location and extent of inflammation in your lungs.
- Pulse oximetry to measure the oxygen level in your blood. Pneumonia can prevent your lungs from moving enough oxygen into your bloodstream.
- Sputum test on a sample of mucus taken after a deep cough, to look for the source of the infection.
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How Is Pneumonia Treated
When you get a pneumonia diagnosis, your doctor will work with you to develop a treatment plan. Treatment for pneumonia depends on the type of pneumonia you have, how sick you are feeling, your age, and whether you have other health conditions. The goals of treatment are to cure the infection and prevent complications. It is important to follow your treatment plan carefully until you are fully recovered.
Take any medications as prescribed by your doctor. If your pneumonia is caused by bacteria, you will be given an antibiotic. It is important to take all the antibiotic until it is gone, even though you will probably start to feel better in a couple of days. If you stop, you risk having the infection come back, and you increase the chances that the germs will be resistant to treatment in the future.
Typical antibiotics do not work against viruses. If you have viral pneumonia, your doctor may prescribe an antiviral medication to treat it. Sometimes, though, symptom management and rest are all that is needed.
Most people can manage their symptoms such as fever and cough at home by following these steps:
If your pneumonia is so severe that you are treated in the hospital, you may be given intravenous fluids and antibiotics, as well as oxygen therapy, and possibly other breathing treatments.