What is Bacterial Pneumonia?
Bacterial pneumonia is an infection of your lungs caused by certain bacteria. The most common is streptococcus bacteria, of which pneumococcus is common, but other bacteria can also cause it. If you are young and basically healthy, these bacteria can live in your throat without causing you any trouble. But if for some reason your body’s immune system becomes weak, the bacteria can enter your lungs and cause pneumonia. When this happens, the air sacs in your lungs become infected and inflamed. They fill with fluid, and you get pneumonia.
Which bacteria causes bacterial pneumonia?
Streptococcus pneumoniae is the leading cause of bacterial pneumonia. It can enter your lungs by breathing it in or through your bloodstream.
Haemophilus influenzae is the second most common cause of bacterial pneumonia. This bacteria can live in your upper respiratory tract. It usually does not cause harm or illness unless your immune system is weak.
Other bacteria that can cause pneumonia include:
Is bacterial pneumonia contagious?
Bacterial pneumonia can be mild or severe and contagious. Bacterial pneumonia may involve just a small part of your lung, or it may involve your entire lung. Pneumonia can make it difficult for your body to get enough oxygen in your blood, causing cells to not function properly. The severity of bacterial pneumonia you suffer from depends on the following conditions: –
Who is at risk for bacterial pneumonia?
The following are at greater risk of getting bacterial pneumonia:-
Any condition (physical condition) due to which your immunity has become weak, you smoke or work or live in a place where there is a lot of smoke
If you have had viral pneumonia before
Have or are suffering from any other lung disease
Apart from the above, the following people are also at risk of getting bacterial pneumonia: –
Have severe kidney disease, such as kidney inflammation, kidney failure, or polycystic kidney disease
What are the symptoms of bacterial pneumonia?
The most common symptoms of bacterial pneumonia are as follows:-
Fever of 102-105°F or higher (fever less than 102°F in older people)
coughing up thick yellow, green, or bloody mucus
Chest pain (stabbing feeling) that gets worse when you cough or breathe
Sudden onset of chills severe enough to shake you
Apart from this, you may also feel other symptoms which include the following:-
Older adults and younger adults may have similar symptoms, but confusion and dizziness are more likely to occur in older adults. Older adults may also be less likely to get a fever.
The symptoms seen in children due to bacterial pneumonia are different and dangerous, which are as follows: –
Pneumonia can be especially dangerous for infants, toddlers, and children. They may exhibit symptoms similar to those above. In infants, difficulty breathing may appear as nasal flaring or sinking of the chest while breathing. They may also show blue lips or nails, which indicates they are not getting enough oxygen.
Following are the emergency symptoms of bacterial pneumonia:-
What causes bacterial pneumonia?
Bacterial pneumonia is caused by bacteria that live in the lungs, do their work and then multiply there. It may occur on its own or develop after another illness, such as a cold or flu.
Like normal pneumonia, you also get bacterial pneumonia from somewhere, like a hospital. Doctors classify bacterial pneumonia based on whether it develops inside or outside the hospital:
Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP): This is the most common type of bacterial pneumonia. CAP occurs when you get the infection after being exposed to bacterial agents outside a health care setting. You can get CAP by breathing in respiratory droplets from coughing or sneezing or from skin-to-skin contact.
Hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP): HAP occurs within two to three days of exposure to germs in a medical setting, such as a hospital or doctor’s office. It is also called a “nosocomial infection.” This type of pneumonia is often more resistant to antibiotics and is more difficult to treat than CAP.
How is bacterial pneumonia diagnosed?
To diagnose bacterial pneumonia, your doctor may do the following:
Listen for abnormal chest sounds indicating heavy secretion of mucus.
Take a blood sample to determine if your white blood cell count is high, which usually indicates infection.
Get a blood culture test, which can help determine if the bacteria has spread into your bloodstream and also help identify the bacteria causing the infection.
Take a sample of mucus or sputum for culture to identify the bacteria causing the infection.
Order a chest X-ray to confirm the presence and extent of infection.
How is bacterial pneumonia treated?
Most cases can be treated at home, with medications, to prevent complications in the hospital setting. A healthy person may recover in one to three weeks. Someone with a weakened immune system may take longer to feel normal again.
Some cases of bacterial pneumonia will require hospitalization for treatment. Young children and the elderly are more likely to go to the hospital to receive intravenous antibiotics, medical care, and respiratory therapy.
In hospital, you will be given antibiotics to treat the specific type of bacteria that causes pneumonia. It will probably be given intravenously, with fluids to prevent dehydration.
What complications can occur if bacterial pneumonia is not treated properly?
Without treatment, pneumonia can develop into:
How can one prevent bacterial pneumonia?
Bacterial pneumonia itself is not contagious, but the infection that causes bacterial pneumonia is contagious. It can spread through coughing, sneezing and contamination on objects. Practicing good hygiene can help prevent the spread of pneumonia or the risk of catching it.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also recommends pneumonia vaccine for infants, young children, and adults ages 65 and older.