What is pneumonia - pneumonia

What is pneumonia?

Pneumonia is a disease to which many people still are too easy. Before antibiotics it was a very serious disease, which, however, should not be underestimated, despite the antibiotics, which treat diseases of this type quite effectively. Unfortunately, even at present, the disease can lead to death, so it's important to diagnose and treat.

So let's cover some basic information about what is pneumonia, which can cause a disease (what causes disease), what are the treatment methods of the disease, and what with this ailment as pneumonia inflammation of the lungs should not be done.

Pneumonia is an inflammatory illness of the lower respiratory tract (lung tissue) caused by infectious pathogens. The inflammation often is a protective reaction of the body to infection, especially lung or tissue damage as a result of exposure to adverse chemical substances.

Inflammatory processes frequently represent severe infections of the lower respiratory tract. In this case, suffer the bronchi and lungs. Lung tissue is very important for the exchange of blood gases with the environment, and damage caused by inflammation can have on the elderly or otherwise sick person fatal consequences.

On the question of what causes pneumonia what are the causes of the disease, there is no single answer. Both the causes and the course of disease depends on the form of the disease and what is causing factor of the disease. In pneumonia, the inflammation or infection of the lungs resulting fluid or pus clogs the lungs that becomes a barrier for oxygen penetration into the body. All cells in the body need oxygen for life. During each breath enters the body, the air containing 21% oxygen (through the nose or mouth into the Airways). It gradually passes through the larynx, the trachea and bronchi into the lungs. Along the way, clears and warms. In the lungs the exchange of respiratory gases (oxygen and carbon dioxide) that enables oxygen to be transported to the cells.

When inflammation is always the case of infection, i.e. it means that it is impossible to get sick with pneumonia due to the common cold. The infection primarily affects the upper respiratory tract. In that case, if it moves below, it causes diseases such as bronchitis. In some cases, the infection moves further, it settles in the lungs and causes inflammation of the lung tissue. If the infection affects the pulmonary membrane, that is manifested by pain in the chest wall.

The incidence and prevalence of

Pneumonia in developed countries is the most common cause of death among all infectious diseases. It is the third leading cause of mortality from all diseases and the leading cause of mortality from all infectious diseases. It is assumed that of pneumonia in the world dies of 3-5 million people. The incidence of pneumonia in our country is in the range from 80 000 to150 000 cases, of which 20 thousand patients are hospitalized (we are talking only about the registered cases). Approximately 1-5% of all patients, however, acquire the disease in the hospital. This form of pneumonia is called nosocomial infection. The incidence increases significantly in the period of epidemic influenza. The mortality rate is approximately of 29.6 deaths/100000 patients.

Etiology and pathogenesis

Infectious pneumonia

This disease is caused by different microorganisms – bacteria, viruses and fungi. Re-infectious pneumonia can occur when the immune disorders, birth defects, weakening of the lungs in cystic fibrosis and other disease States.

Bacterial infectious pneumonia
This type of disease is caused by bacteria, such as staphylococci, streptococci (pneumococci), Haemophilus coli, pseudomonad and many others. Bacteria into the lungs often through the mouth and upper respiratory tract. Pseudomonad usually cause pneumonia in people with cystic fibrosis in the hospital.

Manifestations

Symptoms, usually severe:

• high temperature (over 38°C),
• fatigue,
• productive cough with phlegm, mucus or pus,
• may appear short of breath,
• chill,
• when aspiration pneumonia may be present green sputum,
• chest pain – sharp, growing, especially, after the inhalation,
• difficulty breathing,
• headache,
• nausea,
• vomiting,
• diarrhea,
• weakness,
• abdominal pain.

Treatment

Of antibiotic drugs are used, in particular, Aminopenicillin and Cephalosporins. Their dosage and method of administration depends on the severity of the patient's condition. Young healthy people with mild symptoms can be treated at home, older people or people with severe symptoms should stay at the hospital.

As a special subtype, it should be emphasized pneumonia caused by intracellular bacteria such as chlamydia, Mycoplasma and Legionella. These specific microorganisms cause pneumonia, which in its course resembles a viral disease (see below). This type of pneumonia is treated by other types of antibiotics.

Infectious viral pneumonia

This type of pneumonia is caused by viruses, such as influenza virus, cytomegalovirus and / or herpes virus (the virus that usually causes genital herpes).

Manifestations

Manifestations tend to, at first glance, less severe than in the case of typical bacterial pneumonia. Symptoms include:

• rather unpleasant, irritating dry cough,
• may experience shortness of breath,
• pain in the chest,
• fever (up to 38°C).

It should be noted that some viral types of the disease is very serious, and can lead to death!

Other, not required, manifestations include:

• cough,
• chest pain associated with breathing difficulties, usually affects only one side,
• chill,
• shallow breathing,
• nausea,
• vomiting,
• diarrhea.

Treatment

Treatment of viral infections is not as simple as therapy of bacterial diseases. As a rule, in addition to symptomatic treatment, use of antiviral drugs during influenza pneumonia can be used antiviral agent Amantadine, in the case of cytomegalovirus – Ganciclovir.

Fungal infectious pneumonia

Cause of pneumonia is fungi. In healthy people is rare, disproportionately affects individuals with weakened immune systems. That is why the disease is typical for patients with AIDS.

The most common cause of the disease is the fungus Pneumocystis carinii. Pneumocystis pneumonia can be very serious disease, it is not uncommon death.

Manifestations

The symptoms are similar to viral pneumonia:

• dry cough,
• dyspnea,
• chest pain, etc.,
• headache,
• fever,
• cough,
• chill,
• headache,
• muscle and joint pain,
• whistling when breathing.

Treatment

Therapeutic measures used antifungal drugs, which represent compounds active against fungi. When pnevmotsisty of pneumonia the drug of first choice is Cotrimoxazole.

Infectious pneumonia is divided into three types.

Community-acquired disease

We are talking about diseases that have arisen in the normal human environment. The causative agent of the disease in this case may be, as bacteria and various viruses.

Nosocomial disease

It – pneumonia acquired in the hospital. Nosocomial infection usually is caused by bacteria that are resistant or abnormally resistant to certain antibiotics. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia or Staphylococcus aureus are examples of bacteria that can, particularly in hospitalized severely weakened individuals cause inflammation of the lungs.

Disease whenimmunosuppressions

Immunosuppression, most often occurs either due to underlying disease (cancer, congenital immune disorders, AIDS), or as a result of treatment (corticosteroids, conditions after operations and, in particular, organ transplants) and represents a decrease in the ability of human body to defend itself.

Non-infectious pneumonia

Neinfectine pneumonia may occur due to inhalation of acidic gastric contents (often, this occurs with vomiting). Gastric contents leads to disruption of the acidity of the lung tissue and, as a result of the inflammatory process. To the same extent, the disease may cause the exposure to chemical substances (aspiration pneumonia).

Noninfectious inflammation lead to damage of the lung tissue, which naturally becomes more sensitive to various microorganisms. Subsequently, the disease can transform into the infectious form.

The main symptoms

The clinical picture can vary depending on the causes of disease (bacteria/virus/fungus). Common symptoms off:

• cough, initially dry, irritating, subsequently developing into productive,
• the increase in temperature until the fever,
• sputum is purulent, has a greenish or brown color, may be bloody,
• along with these signs there is a chest pain of different intensity or tingling.

In more severe form the following signs are present:

• dyspnea,
• tachypnea (rapid breathing),
• tachycardia (rapid heartbeat).

In the case of viral disease can present with flu-like symptoms presented, in General, fatigue headache, muscle and joint pain, nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite. The hallmark can often be a herpetic rash.

Risk factors for development of pneumonia

At risk are mainly people in the infectious environments, such as groups at school, at work, etc. Another factor of risk represented by certain age groups: people older 60 years, and newborns, and persons with weakened immune systems and respiratory diseases (for example, in connection with other diseases). No less vulnerable are the people who work in health care, bedridden patients or people undergoing prolonged surgery.

Diagnostics

In practice, the responses of the patient to a medical set of questions, the so-called history is the first authoritative study on determining methods of treatment of pneumonia. The patient survey provides additional information about the condition of the lungs. In the foreground is listening to the heart and lungs.

Important information about the cause of the disease give bacteriological examination. Saliva would be the material associated with the detection of the pathogen by microscopic analysis. As there is a risk of contamination, this method is not reliable enough. For this reason, before entering the first dose of antibiotics carried out blood collection for bacterial culturing.

What blood tests often provide the main explanation. The proportion of white blood cells in bacterial pneumonia, as a rule, increased. In addition, in the blood they found immature form. If viral pneumonia is not seen a significant proliferation of white blood cells, but may be a relative increase in the number of lymphocytes.

The radiograph is the guiding principle by which to explain the localization and extension of pneumonia. Inflammatory foci are visible on the radiograph, as a clarification.

Treatment

Therapeutically used drugs from the group of Tetracyclines and Macrolides, if clinical symptoms are mild and the drug is administered orally. If the person has a concomitant disease or refers to the age group older than 65 years, used Cephalosporin II generation Trimoxazole or Aminopenicillin with the inhibitor of beta-lactamase. However, if symptoms are severe, the person is being treated at the hospital, preference is given to intravenous Cephalosporins II and III generation, sometimes in combination with Macrolides. In non-infectious lung inflammation Corticosteroids are applied.

The treatment duration is usually about 2-3 weeks to complete the stabilization occurs approximately 1 month.

Prevention of pneumonia

The most common is bacterial pneumonia, which often affects older people, attacking the weakened mucous membrane, often after a previous infection by the influenza virus. Prevention of bacterial pneumonia is timely vaccination against the flu, or at least consistent treatment (bed rest, plenty of fluids, consumption of fruits and vegetables, vitamins...).

Prevention in children

1. Maximum protection of the child from any infection.
2. The increase in the number of cases of viral diseases requires the limitation or exclusion of visiting groups with a large number of people (shopping centers, movie theaters).
3. Consistent effective treatment of every viral and bacterial infection.
4. If the child has a fever,you need to provide him with a quiet mode and condition monitoring.
5. Avoiding contact with the sick person.
6. Hardening, good food, correct mode of the day, drinking regime.
7. It is advisable to consider immunization against influenza and pneumococcal infection.

Complications

With inadequate treatment or its absence, there is a risk of abscesses of the lungs, aggravation of the primary disease (obstructive disease, fibrosis) or permanent damage of lung tissue and, consequently, of reducing the functions of the body. Pneumonia is a serious disease mainly affects people in poor physical condition, sometimes even fatal.

Practical advice for patients

During treatment, a necessary condition is compliance with the calm regime, abstinence from alcohol and Smoking. Plays an important role sufficient fluid intake and a full and varied diet.