Pneumonia is a condition that causes inflammation in the air sacs of one or both lungs. The air sacs may fill with pus or fluid, causing you to have periodic coughs accompanied with other problems such as fever, chills and difficulty breathing. The severity of this condition can range from serious to mild. It often comes with severe and debilitating symptoms in infants and young children. People who are older than 65 years also experience such symptoms.
The signs and symptoms of this condition vary, depending on the severity of the infection. The symptoms also depend on age and the type of germ that has caused the infection. The most common signs and symptoms include cough that produces phlegm, fatigue, shortness of breath, chest pain when you cough or breathe, changes in mental awareness and extremely low body temperatures.
1. Living in Long Term Care Facility
Living in long term care facility can make you more vulnerable to this condition. When you stay in a long-term care facility like an addiction or senior care center, you will interact with other patients who might be have pneumonia. The difference is that their infections may be due to more resilient viruses and bacteria. This can increase your chances of contracting the virus or bacteria, leading to a more severe symptom.
Patients using these facilities also tend to have very weak immune systems. Therefore, they are part of the vulnerable groups. It is advisable that people who use health care facilities for long term care should be checked for infections before they are admitted.
2. Air Borne Bacteria
Many lung inflammations are caused by streptococcus, a common air borne bacteria. The infection develops to pneumonia occurs if you have been suffering from a flu or cold for a long time. It is an infection of one or more parts of the lung.
3. Fungal Pneumonia
Fungal pneumonia can significantly contribute to lung inflammation, particularly to the people whose immune systems are very low such as newborns and the elderly. This explains why it is important for the people who have health issues, especially breathing problems, to avoid areas with fungi. Some common fungi that can cause lung inflammation include mold, yeast and mushroom. Among the three, the most active causative agent is mold.
4. Viral Pneumonia
If you catch a flu or cold, there are high chances that you can contact a virus. It is important that you take a lot of fluid and rest when you are suffering from a cold. Doing so will prevent the illness from becoming more serious. Viral pneumonia usually affects children below the age of five years. Even though the condition might appear to be mild, you should take it seriously and address it immediately it manifests.
5. Hospital Stays
Pneumonia is an airborne disease, meaning it thrives best in places like hospitals where there are many sick people. Pneumonia contracted from hospital stays can be very dangerous because the responsible bacteria might have developed resistance against antibiotics used in the hospital. When you spend many days in a hospital, you are likely to contract this disease. The causative bacteria are often found in hospital equipment such as breathing machines and ventilators. You should avoid them if possible to be on the safer side.
6. Pneumonia Risk Factors
There are several factors that can make you develop pneumonia. The most common pneumonia risk factors include smoking, HIV and AIDS and age.
A study shows that 10 percent of pneumonia patients admitted in hospitals are smokers. These patients are also diagnosed with cancer. Research indicates that there is a close relationship between lung cancer and pneumonia. Patients who smoke report high incidences of cancer at the upper lobe of the lung alongside infections.
HIV and AIDs can also increase your chances of developing pneumonia. Scientists show that 75 percent of HIV patients contract pneumocystis pneumonia. This is because HIV positive patients have a low immune system.
Age is also a risk factor. Pneumonia is more prevalent in infants under the age of two years and adults above the age of 50 years. This is due to lower immune system in this age group. For children, check if they have fever or prolonged cough and unusual skin color. These are all signs of pneumonia. If you notice such signs, consult the doctor immediately.
