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. In the article, we will take a closer look at the main causes of pneumonia, as well as the general symptoms of the disease in both children and adults.
Pneumonia pathogens
Many are wondering if pneumonia is an infectious disease or not? Yes, this 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 following pathogens become the cause of the disease:
- rickettsia;
- tiny bacteria - mycoplasma;
- RSV (respiratory syncytial virus);
- MBT (Mycobacterium tuberculosis);
- paramyxovirus;
- adenovirus;
- Chlamydia anaerobic bacteria.
Infectious pneumonia how is it transmitted?
This form of lung disease refers to acute infectious pathologies. It can be infected in several ways. For example, by airborne droplets, if the bodyinfiltrate certain types of bacteria. Infectious pneumonia is transmitted during a conversation with an infected person or through a kiss. But the possibility of infection occurs only with a weakened immune system.
Inflammation of the lungs is also transmitted parenterally. When a focus of infection is present 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 can occur due to blockage of the bronchi. Such a state creates excellent conditions for the vital activity of harmful microorganisms.
Infectious pneumonia in children is usually transmitted vertically - during childbirth or by aspiration - during the 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 ranges 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 disease. However, with strongimmunity does not develop even a mild form of pneumonia, as protective forces that destroy foreign agents are triggered. Moreover, pathogenic bacteria do not even have time to multiply to cause pathological processes. Infectious pneumonia can occur due to the following reasons:
- The negative impact of the external environment, namely air pollution with 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 the addition of other pathogens, incomplete or incorrect treatment.
- Passive or active smoking. This habit weakens lung tissue and immunity.
Other causes of pneumonia
In addition to these 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, due to which the pathology proceeds in a more severe form. There is a risk of complications, especially in older and young children.
Infectious pneumonia: symptoms
This diseasemay be focal or partial. And according to the nature of the course of the process, acute and chronic inflammation of the lungs are distinguished. In the first case, the disease begins suddenly and has pronounced symptoms. It is easier to detect it, the patient will definitely 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's immunity is 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 a 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:
- shading on x-rays;
- weakened breathing and wheezing in the lungs;
- deterioration of general condition and fever;
- pale nasolabial triangle;
- shortness of breath;
- rapid breathing;
- fatigue;
- cough (rare in infants);
- poor appetite or complete refusal of the baby to eat food;
- excessive sweating.
Chronic pneumonia
But with inflammation of the lungs of this form, the symptoms are mild. Quite often, with such a course of the disease, the patient writes off the deterioration of he alth for a cold. As a result, he does not receive proper treatment, runninga pathological process that leads to serious trouble.
Chronic infectious pneumonia can lead to bronchitis and inflammation of the sinuses. If, with such an illness, the patient takes alcohol or smokes, then recovery will be delayed for a long time, because the body will not have enough strength to resist it, since they will all be spent on its recovery.
The environment also seriously affects a person's well-being. The percentage of patients with pneumonia is much higher in places where there is a poor environmental situation, there are sharp temperature fluctuations, there is a lot of dust and gas pollution.
This disease is able to subside and not manifest itself for a long time, continuing to negatively affect the body. If there are no signs of infectious pneumonia, then such a condition should alert, since a temporary weakening occurs before a 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 also suffer, in particular the cardiovascular system. It should be remembered that infectious pneumonia will not go away on its own without the necessary treatment.
Complications of pneumonia
In the event that, when the first signs of pathology appear, you do not seek help from a specialist or choose the wrong treatment regimen, there is a risk of negative consequences. These include pleurisy, bronchial asthma, pulmonary edema and purulentdestructive pathological process in them, acute respiratory failure.
Among other things, there may be complications outside the lungs: anemia, toxic shock, hepatitis, endocarditis, glomerulonephritis, meningitis, pericarditis. With a severe course of the disease, the development of intoxication psychosis and acute cor pulmonale is possible.
Diagnostic procedures
Infectious pneumonia, the symptoms of which are described above, begins in most cases with a compulsive cough. At the first 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 abruptly, 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 infectious pneumonia, doctors resort to diagnostic measures. In the process of examining a patient, his age and state of immunity at the time of infection are taken into account. If there are alarming symptoms of lung disease, you should immediately visit a doctor. After all, it is this ailment that is the leader in deaths in case of untimely seeking medical help.
To establish an accurate diagnosis, the patient will have to undergo various procedures and pass all the necessary tests. To date, the most effective way to detect pneumonia is computed tomography. It even allows you to seeminor changes. This diagnostic technique is much more effective than fluorography or radiography.
Therapy for 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 appear. When the disease is detected in the early stages, outpatient therapy may be prescribed. At the same time, the patient must fulfill all the doctor's prescriptions and observe bed rest.
Drug therapy
If "infectious pneumonia" is diagnosed, treatment is carried out in several stages. After establishing the pathogen, the patient is prescribed antibacterial drugs. Medications are selected taking into account the spectrum of action and sensitivity to the bacterial agent. In some cases, they resort to combined antibiotic treatment.
To avoid the possible occurrence of dysbacteriosis and candidiasis from taking antibiotics, probiotics and antifungal agents are used. With a strong inflammatory process and high temperature, medicines from the NSAID group are used: Diklak, Nimesil.
If the patient is concerned about a dry cough, they prescribe drugs such as Broncholitin and Libexin, with a wet one, they use expectorants and mucolytics, such as Ambroxol, Acestad and ACC.
During treatment, biogenic stimulants, vitamin complexes and adaptogens are used. To speed upresorption of infiltrates and eliminate signs of intoxication, use glucocorticosteroids - "Prednisolone" or "Dexamethasone".
The elderly, small children and infants should treat pneumonia of an infectious type only 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 treatments include:
- Connecting to a ventilator.
- 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, it is recommended to carry out preventive vaccination. It is also necessary to strengthen immunity, limit communication with infected people and eliminate colds in a timely manner. It is impossible to self-medicate with pneumonia, since such actions can lead to serious consequences and even death.
