Many people care about the question: "Inflammation of the lungs, or pneumonia, is this pathology contagious or not ?" Unfortunately, even a highly qualified pulmonologist cannot give an unambiguous answer to this question. Here opinions are shared. And there are quite good reasons for this.
What causes the ailment?
There are several reasons for the pathology. The main one is hypothermia. Prolonged exposure to cold provokes a delay in perspiration. This, in turn, causes the capillaries to close. As a result of this process, blood rushes to the lungs, overloading them. Such phenomena occur when a person is in a piercing wind for a long time at a low air temperature, as well as when drinking cold drinks in a hot state.
The cause of pneumonia can be neuropsychic or physical overwork. It significantly weakens the protective ability of the body. Inflammation of the lungs is often affected by those people who have a general weakness of immunity. Pathology also occurs as a complication caused by SARS.
Causative agents of the disease
Pneumonia, as a rule, develops against the background of existing acute respiratory viral infections. Its causative agents may be:
- pathogenic fungi;
- viruses;
- chlamydia;
- bacteria;
- protozoa;
- mycoplasmas.
After penetration into the respiratory tract, the infection spreads to the lungs and violates the protective ability of the epithelium. Pathogens multiply rapidly and cause foci of inflammation.
How does pneumonia spread?
Is the pathology that is popularly called pneumonia infectious or not ? Yes, this ailment can be picked up at the hospital. Moreover, such pneumonia is the most dangerous. This is because pathogens in medical facilities are already resistant to antibiotics. A patient with pneumonia can infect a healthy person by transmitting by airborne droplets hemophilic bacillus or gram-negative bacilli, pneumochlamydia or staphylococcus, pneumococcus or other microbes. Resuscitation infections are a great danger. They are caused by pyogenic flora, which is almost impossible to cope with.
If pneumonia is a community-acquired illness, is pneumonia contagious to others in this case? No, this pathology is considered absolutely safe for people.
A healthy person should have a sufficiently strong immunity and observe the rules of personal hygiene. Such people do not even think about whether pneumonia is contagious or not. Community-acquired causative agent, as a rule, is pneumococcus, rarely - stick of inflation. These kinds of diseases usually have a positive prognosis.
Is pneumonia contagious or not for newborns? Unfortunately, there are cases in medical practice that indicate intrauterine as well as nosocomial infections in children. The causative agent of the disease can be streptococcus or herpes virus, cytomegalovirus or E. coli. A baby who was recently born can easily become infected in a hospital setting.
As a result of the foregoing, it can be assumed that the pathology itself is not dangerous to others. Pathogenic microbes can be transmitted, which, once in the lungs, can cause an ailment.