Bacterial pneumonia is inflammation of the lung parenchyma caused by bacteria. Especially people with weakened immunity are exposed to bacterial pneumonia, e.g. children and the elderly. What are the symptoms of bacterial pneumonia? Is bacterial pneumonia contagious? What is the treatment?

Bacterial pneumoniais inflammation of the lung parenchyma peripherally from terminal bronchioles caused by bacteria. It is bacteria that are the most common cause of pneumonia. They are less often caused by viruses, fungi and other factors.

Bacterial pneumonia - causes, risk factors

Bacterial pneumonia is most often caused by pneumococcus, or Streptococcus pneumoniae. Other bacteria that may be responsible for pneumonia are the influenza rod (Haemophilus influenzae), Staphylococcus aureus, enterobacteria (mainly Klebsiella pneumoniae), blue oil rod (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and anaerobic bacteria. Then we are dealing with typical bacterial pneumonia.

Bacterial pneumonia may result from bacterial superinfection in viral pneumonia.

If pneumonia is caused by atypical bacteria then atypical pneumonia is diagnosed. The group of atypical bacteria responsible for the development of pneumonia include: Mycoplasma pneumoniae (mycoplasmal pneumonia), chlamydia - Chlamydia trachomatis, Chlamydiophila pneumoniae (chlamydial pneumonia) and Legionella pneumophila.

The risk factors, i.e. the circumstances favorable to contracting bacterial pneumonia, are:

  • state of reduced immunity (e.g. children, the elderly)
  • chronic respiratory diseases, e.g. chronic bronchitis, emphysema, bronchiectasis
  • chronic cardiovascular diseases, e.g. heart defects
  • reduction of the body's resistance, e.g. as a result of other diseases
  • smoking
  • viral infection, especially from influenza viruses
  • hospital infection

Bacterial pneumonia - pathways of infection

Is bacterial pneumonia contagious? Yes - you can catch it from a sick personor someone who has no obvious symptoms. Bacteria are carried in the air in tiny droplets of airway secretion, which we breathe in when we are in close proximity to the patient. Infection can also occur from touching things that have been in contact with the sick person. Bacteria are transmitted on the skin of the hands with which we touch the sick or objects contaminated by them (e.g. door handles, furniture, etc.). From the skin of the hands, they enter the respiratory tract when you touch your mouth.

Bacterial pneumonia - symptoms

The symptoms of typical bacterial pneumonia are:

  • sudden, high fever, often over 40 degrees C
  • chills, sweating
  • strong weakness
  • cough with a lot of discharge (wet cough)
  • chest pains
  • dyspnoea of ​​varying severity

People with reduced immunity - children, the elderly, struggling with chronic diseases such as diabetes - are particularly at risk of bacterial pneumonia.

Pneumonia caused by atypical bacteria is characterized by:

  • hidden, slow start
  • normal or moderately elevated body temperature
  • dry cough
  • slight abnormalities in the physical examination of the chest
  • there are also symptoms from systems other than the respiratory system, such as muscle and joint pain or diarrhea
  • the general condition of the patient is usually good ( although it may be severe in Legionella infection)

Bacterial pneumonia - diagnosis

If bacterial pneumonia is suspected, do

  • Chest X-ray
  • blood tests (blood count, acute phase indicators - CRP, ESR, PCT)
  • microbiological tests - inoculation of material from the respiratory tract and antibiogram

It is worth knowing that among all respiratory infections, pneumonia is the most difficult factor in determining the pathogen causing the disease. It is estimated that depending on the availability of diagnostic methods (cultures, detection of the presence of antigens, antibodies and genetic material of the microorganism), the etiological factor can be detected only in 20-60%. cases. Due to the high time-consuming nature of most methods, the determination of the pathogenic factor takes place only after the initiation of treatment.

Bacterial pneumonia - treatment

In the case of typical bacterial pneumonia, oral antibiotic therapy is used. In most cases, it lasts 7 days.

Treatment of atypical pneumonia is different from treatment of typical pneumonialungs - other antibiotics (most often from the macrolide group) are used. Antibiotic therapy is usually given for 2 to 3 weeks. Shorter treatment may lead to relapse.

You must stay at home during pneumonia (in more severe cases, in hospital).

Bacterial pneumonia - complications

A complication of bacterial pneumonia may include lung abscess or exudative pleurisy.

Bibliography:

1. Kieszko R., Viral and bacterial pneumonia - clinical differentiation, "Nowa Medycyna" 2009, No. 22. Załęska-Ponganis J., Jackowska T., Atypical bacterial pneumonia in children, "Nauk Medycznych 2008, No. 9

Pneumonia

Pneumonia is a serious respiratory disease. Symptoms of pneumonia are most often chest pain when breathing, fever, chills, dry cough. The disease is caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. How to recognize pneumonia? Listen to our drug expert. Katarzyna Bukol-Krawczyk, internist of the Lux Med group.

Category:

Respiratory system