Infectious pneumonia is a form of pneumonia. Such a pathology is formed when a bacterial agent enters the human body. Most often, the causative agents of this disease are bacteria, viruses and fungi. The article will examine in more detail the main causes of pneumonia, as well as the general symptoms of the disease in both children and adults.
Pathogens of pneumonia
Many are interested in whether pneumonia is an infectious disease or not? Yes, such pathology is caused by pathogenic microorganisms. At the same time, there are a huge number of them that provoke the development of pneumonia. In many cases, the causative agent of the disease is the following pathogens:
- rickettsia;
- the smallest bacteria - mycoplasma;
- RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) ;
- MBT (Mycobacterium tuberculosis);
- paramyxovirus;
- adenovirus;
- anaerobic chlamydia bacteria.
Infectious pneumonia how is it transmitted?
This form of lung disease refers to acute infectious pathologies. You can become infected with it in several ways. For example, by airborne droplets, if certain types of bacteria enter the body. Infectious pneumonia is transmitted during a conversation with an infected person or through a kiss. But the possibility of infection arises only with weakened immunity.
Inflammation of the lungs is also transmitted parenterally. When there is a focus of infection in the body, the pathology can spread through the bloodstream to other tissues and organs. Another disease can pass from a pregnant woman to an unborn baby.
Long stagnant processes in the drainage function of the lungs also lead to the development of pneumonia. After all, the accumulation of mucus in the respiratory tract leads to the multiplication of microbes. In addition, pneumonia may occur due to clogging of the bronchi. Such a condition creates excellent conditions for the life of harmful microorganisms.
Infectious pneumonia in children is transmitted, as a rule, vertically - during childbirth or by aspiration - during inhalation of droplets or dust with pathogens.
Bacterial agents, under favorable conditions, settle in the connective tissue, bronchi and alveoli. Poisonous substances that secrete pathogenic microorganisms cause the development of pneumonia. The incubation period of the disease is from 2-3 hours to several weeks, depending on the type of pathogen.
What factors cause pneumonia?
Any infection after penetration into the body can provoke the occurrence of a particular disease. However, with strong immunity, even a mild form of pneumonia does not develop, since protective forces that destroy foreign agents work. Moreover, pathogenic bacteria do not even have time to multiply in order to cause pathological processes. Infectious pneumonia can occur due to the following reasons:
- The negative impact of the external environment, namely air pollution by harmful substances.
- Severe hypothermia. This reason is relevant not only in the autumn-winter period, but also in the summer. For example, cooling the body with ice water or staying in a cold room for a long time.
- Acute respiratory viral infection. This pathology is the most favorable factor for the development of the inflammatory process in the lungs. In this case, pneumonia occurs as a complication of a viral disease. This happens as a result of joining other pathogens, unfinished or improper treatment.
- Passive or active smoking. This habit weakens lung tissue and immunity.
Other causes of pneumonia
In addition to the listed reasons, each person has a threshold of individual resistance, and there may also be a concomitant or chronic disease. These factors aggravate the condition of the body and contribute to the progression of inflammatory processes in the lungs, which is why the pathology proceeds in a more severe form. There is a risk of complications, especially in the elderly and young children.
Infectious pneumonia: symptoms
This disease can be focal or partial. And according to the nature of the process, acute and chronic pneumonia are distinguished. In the first case, the disease begins suddenly and has pronounced symptoms. It is easier to detect it, the patient will certainly turn to the doctor with weakness and high fever. Acute infectious pneumonia has the following symptoms: chills, fever, cough, fever, rapid breathing, discomfort in the side and chest area.
If a person has immunity in good condition, then he will cope with the pathology in 2-3 days, of course, not without the use of medicines prescribed by a doctor.
To detect the disease in a child in time, you need to know how infectious pneumonia manifests itself. Symptoms in children depend on the degree of its progression. With this pathology, there are:
- X-ray dimming
- weakened breathing and wheezing in the lungs;
- worsening general condition and fever;
- pale nasolabial triangle;
- dyspnea;
- rapid breathing;
- fast fatiguability;
- cough (in infants it is rare);
- poor appetite or a complete refusal of the baby to eat food;
- increased sweating.
Chronic pneumonia
But with pneumonia of this form, the symptoms are mild. Quite often, with this course of the disease, the patient writes off the deterioration of the state of health as a cold. As a result, he does not receive proper treatment, starting a pathological process, which leads to serious troubles.
Infectious pneumonia of a chronic form can lead to bronchitis and inflammation of the sinuses. If with such a disease the patient takes alcohol or smokes, then the recovery will last for a long time, because the body does not have enough strength to resist it, since they will all go to restore it.
Even the human well-being is seriously affected by the environment. The percentage of patients with pneumonia is much higher in places where there is a poor environmental situation, there are sharp temperature jumps, there is a lot of dust and gas contamination.
This disease can calm down and not manifest itself for a long time, while continuing to negatively affect the body. If there are no signs of infectious pneumonia, then this condition should alert, as a temporary weakening occurs before the rapid course.
When pneumonia becomes chronic, exacerbations begin to occur more often, disrupting gas exchange in the lungs. With this course of the disease, some other internal organs, in particular the cardiovascular system, also suffer. It should be remembered that infectious pneumonia without the necessary treatment on its own will not pass.
Complications of pneumonia
In the event that, when the first signs of pathology appear, one does not seek the help of a specialist or selects the wrong treatment regimen, there is a risk of negative consequences. These include pleurisy, bronchial asthma, pulmonary edema and purulent-destructive pathological process in them, acute respiratory failure.
In addition, complications outside the lungs may appear: anemia, toxic toxic shock, hepatitis, endocarditis, glomerulonephritis, meningitis, pericarditis. In severe cases of the disease, the development of intoxication psychosis and acute pulmonary heart is possible.
Diagnostic procedures
Infectious pneumonia, the symptoms of which are described above, begins in most cases with an obsessive cough. In the early stages of the disease, it is dry, but after a while it becomes wet with a huge secretion of mucous secretion.
If there are several provoking factors at once, then the pathology can occur sharply, manifesting itself as vivid symptoms of respiratory failure. With the simultaneous development of pleurisy and pneumonia, it becomes difficult for a person to breathe.
To recognize pneumonia of an infectious nature, doctors resort to diagnostic measures. In the process of examining the patient, his age and immunity during infection are taken into account. If there are disturbing symptoms of lung disease, you should immediately visit a doctor. After all, it is this ailment that is the leader in fatal outcomes in case of untimely seeking medical help.
To establish an accurate diagnosis, the patient will have to go through various procedures and pass all the necessary tests. To date, computed tomography is the most effective way to detect pneumonia. It allows you to see even minor changes. This diagnostic technique is much more effective than fluorography or radiography.
Therapy of pneumonia
Infectious pneumonia is a disease that cannot be treated with alternative medicine. To prevent the development of complications, you should immediately visit the clinic after the first signs. When the disease is detected in the early stages, they can prescribe therapy on an outpatient basis. In this case, the patient must fulfill all the doctor's appointments and observe bed rest.
Drug therapy
If diagnosed with "infectious pneumonia", treatment is carried out in several stages. After the establishment of the pathogen, the patient is prescribed antibacterial drugs. Medicines are selected taking into account the spectrum of action and sensitivity to the bacterial agent. In some cases, resort to combined antibacterial treatment.
To avoid the possible occurrence of dysbiosis and candidiasis from taking antibiotics, probiotics and antifungal agents are used. With a strong inflammatory process and high temperature, medications from the NSAID group are used: Diklak, Nimesil.
If the patient is concerned about a dry cough, prescribe drugs such as Broncholitin and Libexin, and when wet, expectorant drugs and mucolytics are used, for example, Ambroxol, Atsestad, and ACC.
During treatment, biogenic stimulants, vitamin complexes and adaptogens are used. To speed up the resorption of infiltrates and eliminate signs of intoxication, glucocorticosteroids - Prednisolone or Dexamethasone are used.
Elderly people, young children and infants should only treat pneumonia of an infectious type in a medical institution. Quite often, traditional therapy is combined with other measures, since pathology in this category of patients can develop too quickly. Additional treatment methods include:
- Connection to the device to provide artificial ventilation.
- Intravenous administration of antibacterial drugs.
How to prevent the development of infectious pneumonia?
This pathology is easier to prevent than to treat. To avoid pneumonia, prophylactic vaccination is recommended. It is also necessary to strengthen immunity, limit communication with infected people and timely eliminate colds. You can not self-medicate with pneumonia, since such actions can lead to serious consequences and even death.