Pneumonia is an infectious disease that affects the lungs. Pneumonia is caused by bacteria, viruses, and fungal infections. During illness, the infection can spread both in both lungs and in one, while the alveoli (air sacs) become inflamed. Due to the inflammatory process, fluid or pus begins to fill them, this causes breathing problems, as the respiratory functions of the lungs are impaired.
Staph pneumonia
This pneumonia is the most common and most often affects children.
Previously, pneumonia was caused mainly by streptococci or pneumococci, but today it is predominantly caused by staphylococci. This bacterium is very common. It, being present in the human body, can exist asymptomatically, without causing any diseases. But in cases where the patient's immune system fails, the infectioncan cause pathological processes in the body, starting to show its activity. Staphylococcus aureus deserves special attention, as this bacterium is the most unpleasant of all its kind. She, having good resistance to antibiotics, easily and quickly causes inflammation.
Staphylococcal pneumonia is much more common in children under 3 years of age and in older people over 65 years of age. The reason for this is that babies and the elderly are very sensitive to this bacterium. However, this disease affects all segments of the population. At risk are those who have a weakened immune system and who have any chronic diseases, and those who have relatively recently had respiratory diseases.
Characteristic
Thousands of people turn to the hospital with this disease. They are diagnosed with pneumonia, which is complicated and progressing. If untimely treatment is started, the disease can be fatal. There are also cases when the patient has recovered, but the disease manifests itself with renewed vigor, which requires immediate hospitalization in a medical facility.
Who is most likely to get pneumonia?
This disease is especially acute in people suffering from chronic diseases of the cardiovascular system. This is due to the fact that the heart and lungs are located next to each other. In cases where a person has shortness of breath, arrhythmia or other problems with the heart rhythm, the inflammatory process of the lungs can aggravate the situation and worsen the patient's well-being. Since thisthe disease affects mainly the elderly and children, treatment is difficult, especially if complications are already present. This is due to the fact that the immune system is not able to resist the staphylococcus aureus that causes pneumonia.
It is easiest to catch an infection from October to May, as bacteria become more active during this period of time.
Symptoms and causes of staphylococcal pneumonia
The localization of the causative agent of the disease is the mucous membrane of the larynx, and as soon as a person's immunity weakens, the bacteria begin to spread. At first, the disease can take the form of a common cold, which subsequently develops into a more serious disease, for example, a sore throat. If you do not start treatment in a timely manner and do not find out the causes of the disease, all this can give complications and the disease will begin to progress and soon develop into staphylococcal pneumonia.
Staphylococcus aureus can enter the body through airborne droplets. This may happen due to the fact that the person was for some time in a place of congestion of a large number of people. Or, for example, in a hospital where patients are treated for this disease. If a person has lowered immunity, the chances of being infected increase significantly.
The main causes of the disease include the following:
- chronic diseases;
- drinking alcohol;
- drug addiction;
- epidemic;
- compromised immunity;
- surgery,during which complications arose;
- stay in the hospital for a long time;
- acclimatization;
- diseases caused by viral infections.
As the bacteria progresses, it produces toxins. These toxins lead to the destruction of the lungs, resulting in the formation of air bubbles that interfere with the normal functioning of the respiratory system. The bubbles have a fairly large volume and reach a diameter of up to 10 cm. If the disease progresses for a long time, the resulting bubbles begin to fester, and this leads to an abscess.
Symptoms of staphylococcal pneumonia in adults and children do not differ much from the symptoms of ordinary pneumonia. However, there is a difference. Staphylococcal is manifested by a very high body temperature, which in severe cases can reach forty degrees. This temperature in some cases lasts up to 10 days, and sometimes even more. It is very difficult to knock it down with a conventional antipyretic. Most often, the disease begins acutely, and its symptoms appear fairly quickly.
Signs of pneumonia
More signs of such pneumonia include:
- fever;
- dyspnea;
- chest pain;
- cough;
- pain in the diaphragm when inhaled;
- skin becomes clammy and pale;
- no appetite;
- temperature jumps;
- pleurisy;
- fluid builds up in lungs;
- show signs of heart failure;
- disturbed mental state;
- headaches;
- lips and hands turn blue;
- abdominal pain;
- yellow or green mucus when coughing.
The most dangerous in this case is the development of purulent-necrotic process. If the treatment was not prescribed in time, then an abscess (tissue breakdown in the lung) may occur. This complication is the most dangerous, but thanks to modern medicine, the level of treatment and timely diagnosis of this type of complications can be avoided.
Diagnosis
When the first signs of staph pneumonia appear in adults and children, the lungs should be checked for infection. Based on the results of the examination, which includes a study of culture, sputum smear, as well as computed tomography and x-rays, the doctor can make a diagnosis. Difficulty breathing and wheezing should also be noted at the first examination by a doctor.
To the studies, you can also add a general blood test, which should show an increase in the level of leukocytes. And in the event that the disease is already strongly progressing and an unfavorable prognosis is noted, the level of leukocytes can, on the contrary, be very low. X-rays will need to be done several times, after a short interval of time, which will allow you to see changes in the structure of the respiratory system. The picture may also show strips of the lungs, in which fluid will be clearly visible.
As soon as a person discovers at least one of the symptoms of the disease,he should see a doctor immediately.
Treatment of staphylococcal pneumonia
After the doctor has diagnosed pneumonia, it is necessary to immediately undergo a course of medical therapy. Antibacterial therapy is used to treat the symptoms of staphylococcal pneumonia. Nowadays, very effective and modern drugs are used that do an excellent job with this ailment. Even people with this disease are additionally prescribed drugs to boost immunity. Staphylococcal pneumonia is characterized by certain changes in the lung tissue, which takes on abscessed forms with large or small abscesses of pyopneumothorax, bullous emphysema can still form, causing melting of the lung tissue and the formation of a cavity. The cavity is a smooth wall, which usually does not contain pus, this is their peculiarity. If a person has a large number of such destructive changes, this can lead to respiratory failure, as a separate part of the lung is turned off from the breathing process, the mediastinum is displaced and the tidal volume changes.
Pneumonia in a newborn baby
Staphylococcal pneumonia, which develops in the body of a newborn child, is severe enough to cause sepsis, which leads to aggravation of symptoms, and antibiotic treatment shows a poor result. In this case, treatment with the use of "Tetracycline" and "Streptomycin" will be effective, in certain cases to themalso prescribed sulfonamides. "Micerin" has also proven itself well.
To date, the joint work of microbiologists, clinicians and specialists from other fields has yielded significant results in the study of staphylococcus bacteria in the development of pneumonia in newborns.
Types of antibiotics
The main types of antibiotics that are recommended for the treatment of this type of pneumonia include:
- "Penicillin";
- "Ampicillin";
- "Vancomycin";
- "Clindamycin";
- "Cefazolin";
- "Telavancin";
- "Gentamicin".
For the treatment of streptococcal endocarditis, Vancomycin, Penicillin and Ampicillin are prescribed.
Surgery
Very rarely, there are cases when fluid accumulates in the lungs and needs to be pumped out. For this, lung drainage is done.
Prevention
After you had to endure this ailment, you need to look at your lifestyle and, if possible, change something in it. Be sure to pay attention to your body and listen to it. You need to start taking vitamins that strengthen the immune system. This will allow the person to deal with the bacteria once they enter the body.
Another important component of preventive procedures is food. It is necessary to wash vegetables and fruits very carefully before eating. Warm water or a special liquid for washing is well suited for this.products that can be purchased at any store. It is best to heat treat them.
You must always dress for the weather. In the autumn-winter period, clothes should be warm, special attention should be paid to the legs and torso. It is also advisable to avoid large crowds of people, as they can be carriers of various kinds of diseases.
If the workplace is also unsafe for human he alth, it is desirable to change jobs. This is especially true for those jobs where you have to stay in poorly ventilated and damp rooms for a long time.
But the most important thing is to seek help from a medical facility in a timely manner and not trigger an infectious disease.
