Overview
Pneumonia corresponds to the infection of the lungs that causes inflammation. It could either be mild, moderate, severe or even life-threatening. It is more dangerous in babies, infants, adults over the age of 65, and immunocompromised patients. The infection could either be bacterial, viral, or even fungal.
Causes
There is a larger range of organisms that can lead to this disease, some of the more common ones are listed as follows:
- Streptococcus pneumoniae
- Mycoplasma pneumonia
- Hemophilus influenza
- Chlamydia pneumonia
- Legionella pneumophila
- Moraxella catarrhalis
Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of this health condition are:
- Cough
- Chest pain
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Shortness of breath
- Altered mental state
Diagnosis
After taking medical history and physical examination, the following tests are recommended for the diagnosis of this disease:
- Blood culture
- Chest X-ray
- Pulse oximetry
- Sputum culture
- CT scan
- Pleural fluid culture
Treatment
- Antibiotics
- Cough medicine (for symptomatic relief)
- Antipyretic medicines (for fever)
