Who is affected by bacterial pneumonia

Symptoms of bacterial pneumonia tend to be similar in both children and adults. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, toddlers and infants may cry more than usual , have reduced energy, and appear pale.

A person who suspects symptoms of pneumonia should seek medical attention. The cause of a particular presentation of pneumonia can be difficult to determine without seeing a physician. Since the treatments for bacterial and viral pneumonia are different, finding the correct cause is vital for choosing the appropriate treatment regimen. Bacterial pneumonia might be complicated in both children and adults. Anyone can develop complications from bacterial pneumonia, but people with weaker immune systems, younger children, and older adults have a higher risk.

Small air sacs called alveoli are within the lobes of each lung. When a person develops pneumonia, the air sacs experience inflammation , which can cause them to fill with fluid. If the air sacs fill with fluid rather than air, breathing might become difficult.

Pneumonia is often classified as either community-acquired pneumonia or hospital-acquired pneumonia. The classification refers to the location in which a person acquired the infection. Community-acquired pneumonia is the by far more the common type. If a person develops community-acquired pneumonia, it means infection occurred outside of a hospital. The pneumococcal bacterium usually enters the lungs after a person breathes in particles or droplets from a sneeze or cough from another individual who has the infection.

Amongst the most common causes of community-acquired pneumonia are bacteria, including Streptococcus pneumoniae , the most common bacteria, and Haemophilus influenzae. However, viruses, including influenza viruses, can also cause community-acquired pneumonia. Hospital-acquired pneumonia develops while in the hospital and occurs after at least 48 hours of being admitted. The most common causes of hospital-acquired pneumonia are Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, people who have a weakened immune system as a result of cancer , cancer treatment, or an organ transplant face an increased risk of bacterial pneumonia. Smoking tobacco products and having a long-term lung condition, such as emphysema or chronic bronchitis COPD, increases the risk.

Being over 65 years of age and having had recent surgery also puts people at a higher risk. Healthcare professionals can create a diagnosis of bacterial pneumonia after completing various diagnostic tests and performing a thorough history and physical exam. During a physical exam, the doctor will listen to the lungs to determine whether they sound dysfunctional. In most cases, a doctor will conduct a chest X-ray to check for areas of inflammation and infiltrate in the lungs.

Additional tests may also support a pneumonia diagnosis, such as a chest CT scan and an arterial blood gas ABG sample. An ABG measures the amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the arterial blood, in addition to other things like pH and bicarbonate levels, and helps determine breathing efficiency and gas exchange. The medical team might also perform a bronchoscopy to look into the lung airways and obtain a biopsy or a mucus sample.

The operating doctor inserts a small tube with a tiny camera attached through the mouth into the lungs. A person receives medication before a bronchoscopy to numb and relax the throat, and the doctor typically also gives intravenous sedating medication.

Treatment for bacterial pneumonia includes antibiotics , which target the specific type of bacterium causing the infection. Chlamydophila pneumoniae , which commonly causes upper respiratory infections year-round, but can also result in a mild form of pneumonia. Legionella pneumophila , which causes a dangerous form of pneumonia called Legionnaire's disease. Unlike other bacterial pneumonias, Legionella is not passed from person to person. Outbreaks of the disease have been linked to exposure to contaminated water from cooling towers, whirlpool spas, and outdoor fountains.

Viruses Viruses that infect the upper respiratory tract may also cause pneumonia. Fungi Fungal pneumonia is most common in people with chronic health problems or weakened immune systems, and in people who are exposed to large doses of certain fungi from contaminated soil or bird droppings.

This fungus is found in Southern California and the desert Southwest. It is the cause of valley fever. This fungus is found in the Ohio and Mississippi River Valleys.

This fungus is found throughout the United States in bird droppings and soil contaminated with bird droppings. Previous: Learn About Pneumonia. Next: Pneumonia Symptoms and Diagnosis.

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Please enter a valid email address. Zip Code. You may be more likely to get bacterial pneumonia if you have viral pneumonia. Mycoplasma pneumonia. This type has somewhat different symptoms and physical signs and is referred to as atypical pneumonia.

It is caused by the bacterium Mycoplasma pneumoniae. It generally causes a mild, widespread pneumonia that affects all age groups.

Other pneumonias. There are other less common pneumonias that may be caused by other infections including fungi. Early symptoms of viral pneumonia are the same as those of bacterial pneumonia, which may be followed by:.

Mycoplasma pneumonia has somewhat different symptoms, which include a severe cough that may produce mucus. Diagnosis is usually made based on your recent health history such as surgery, a cold, or travel exposures and the extent of the illness. Based on these factors, your healthcare provider may diagnose pneumonia simply on a thorough history and physical exam.

The following tests may be used to confirm the diagnosis:. Chest X-ray. This test takes pictures of internal tissues, bones, and organs, including the lungs. Blood tests. This test may be used to see whether infection is present and if infection has spread to the bloodstream blood cultures.

Arterial blood gas testing checks the amount of oxygen in your bloodstream. Sputum culture. This test is done on the material that is coughed up from the lungs and into the mouth.

Pulse oximetry. An oximeter is a small machine that measures the amount of oxygen in the blood. A small sensor is taped or clipped onto a finger. When the machine is on, a small red light can be seen in the sensor. The test is painless and the red light does not get hot. Chest CT scan. This imaging procedure uses a combination of X-rays and computer technology to produce sharp, detailed horizontal, or axial, images often called slices of the body.

A CT scan shows detailed images of any part of the body, including the bones, muscles, fat, and organs. CT scans are more detailed than regular X-rays. This is direct exam of the bronchi the main airways of the lungs using a flexible tube called a bronchoscope. Pleural fluid culture.

In this test, a sample of a fluid sample is taken from the pleural space.