Pneumonia
Chest X-ray
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung affecting primarily the small air sacs known as alveoli. Typically symptoms include some combination of a productive or a dry cough, chest pain, fever, and trouble breathing.
Cause of Pneumonia:
- Bacteria
- Viruses
- Less commonly by fungi and parasites
Bacteria:
These includes:
- Streptococcus pneumoniae
- In nearly 50% of cases
- Haemophilus influenzae
- In nearly 20% of cases
- Chlamydophila pneumoniae
- In nearly 13% of cases
- Mycoplasma pneumoniae
- In nearly 3% of cases
Viruses:
- Rhinoviruses
- Coronaviruses
- Influenza virus
- Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
- Adenovirus
- Parainfluenza
- Herpes simplex virus (rarely)
- Cytomegalovirus (Only after an organ transplant)
Fungi:
- Due to AIDS
- Immunosuppressive drugs
- Histoplasma capsulatum
- Blastomyces
- Cryptococcus neoformans
- Pneumocystis jiroveci
- Coccidioides immitis
- Histoplasmosis
Parasites:
- Toxoplasma gondii
- Strongyloides stercoralis
- Ascaris lumbricoides
- Plasmodium malariae
Diagnosis:
Physical exam:
Physical examination may sometimes reveal:
- Low blood pressure
- High heart rate
- Low oxygen saturation
Imaging:
Chest X-ray
Management / Treatment:
Bacterial:
Antibiotics:
- Amoxicillin
- Doxycycline
- Clarithromycin
Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia:
- Cephalosporins
- Carbapenems
- Fluoroquinolones
- Aminoglycosides
- Vancomycin
Viral:
Neuraminidase inhibitors,
Prevention:
Vaccination
- Influenza vaccines are modestly effective
- Vaccination against Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae
Medications:
- Amantadine
- Rimantadine
- Zanamivir
- Oseltamivir
Others:
- Smoking cessation
- Reducing indoor air pollution
- Hand hygiene
- Coughing into one’s sleeve
- Wearing surgical masks
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