Top Facts About Pneumonia

Pneumonia can be caused by a wide variety of bacteria, viruses, and fungi in the air we breathe. The infection causes inflammation in the air sacs of the lungs.

Pneumonia, the life-threatening lung infection is the biggest killer of adults and children, with mortality rate of roughly 2.5 million adults and children globally.

Dr. Gautam Wankhede, Director of Medical Affairs of Mylab Discovery Solutions shares a few facts you should know about pneumonia:

Pneumonia: Must Known Facts

Both viral and bacterial pneumonia is contagious.

Pneumonia - Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, Prevention, Complications
Pneumonia is a lung infection that can be caused by a bacteria or a virus. It causes inflammation of the alveoli or the air sacs of the lungs.

‘India accounts for 23 percent of the global pneumonia burden with fatality rates ranging between 14 and 30 percent.’

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is the most common type of pneumonia. CAP is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in India and worldwide and one of the most serious respiratory illnesses among various infections causing sepsis.

Typical bacterial pathogens that cause CAP include Streptococcus pneumonia, Haemophilus influenza, and Moraxella catarrhalis.

An important factor in the management of pneumonia is the early diagnosis of the causative pathogen based on which appropriate anti-bacterial, anti-viral, or anti-fungal treatment can be started soon.

Quiz on Pneumonia
Pneumonia is a serious respiratory tract infection that is often life-threatening in the elderly, children or those with reduced immunity. See how much you know about pneumonia by taking this quiz.

Appropriate medical history and physical examination are important parts of making a pneumonia diagnosis.

Most pneumonia cases are diagnosed with a chest X-ray, blood culture test, and a CT scan of the chest in some cases. Bronchoscopy is advised in a few cases if the initial symptoms are severe or not responding well to antibiotics.

The Lungs
The lungs are our organs of respiration. It is within these, that exchange of gases takes place.

Microbiological tests are not completely reliable in identifying the cause of pneumonia, and in 40-70 percent of pneumonia cases, the cause is never determined.

Molecular tests like RT-PCR identify a specific pathogen and help to distinguish between bacterial and viral infection and some newer molecular tests also provide information about antibiotic susceptibility. The new age RT-PCR-based molecular diagnostic kits look for the presence of 15-30 different pneumonia-causing pathogens at the same time and provide answers within 2-3 hours unlike the traditional culture methods which take 3-5 days

How Nanoparticle Sensor is Changing Pneumonia Treatment Approach?
Nanoparticle sensors that distinguish between viral and bacterial pneumonia could avoid the use of antibiotics in cases where they won’t be effective.

In most cases pneumonia can be prevented by improving hygiene, vaccinations, and adequate nutrition and by addressing environmental factors such as air pollution. When it comes to preventing pneumonia in children, immunisation against HIB, pneumococcus, measles, and whooping cough (pertussis) is very effective besides the factors mentioned above.

Source-IANS