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Bacterial Pneumonia is an infection that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs. A cough with phlegm or pus, fever, chills, and difficulty breathing may result from the filling of the air sacs with fluid. A variety of organisms, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi, can cause pneumonia.
What is Bacterial Pneumonia?
Bacterial pneumonia involves just one section of your lung, or it may encompass your entire lung. It leads to difficulty for your body to get enough oxygen to your blood, which can cause cells to not work properly. Bacterial infection ranges from mild to severe depending on the:
- Strength of the bacteria
- Diagnosis and treatment method
- Age and overall health
- Medical conditions and other diseases
Is Bacterial Pneumonia Contagious?
Bacterial pneumonia is contagious with infections caused by Mycoplasma Pneumoniae. Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the most highly contagious. Viral pneumonia is also contagious. Fungal and aspiration pneumonia are not transmitted from person to person.
Symptoms of Bacterial Pneumonia
- High fever
- Coughing out greenish, bloody, and yellow mucus
- Chills that leads to shaking
- Trouble in breathing
- Extreme fatigue
- Reduced appetite
- Sharp or stabby chest pain
- Sweating a lot
- Irregular heartbeat
- Bluish lips and fingernails
- Confusion
Seek medical help right away if you or your child experience:
- Blood mucus
- Trouble breathing
- High fever
- Rapid heartbeat
- Bluish skin tone
Classifications of Bacterial Pneumonia
- Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). It is the most common type of bacterial pneumonia. It is due to an infection after exposure to bacterial agents outside of a healthcare setting.
- Hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP). It occurs within two to three days of exposure to germs in a medical setting. This type of pneumonia is more resistant to antibiotics and is difficult to treat.
Risk Factors of Bacterial Pneumonia
- Being in the hospital
- Having a chronic disease
- Having a suppressed immune system
- Difficulty swallowing
- Reduced consciousness
- Difficulty coughing
- Smoking
- Drug or excessive alcohol use
- Malnutrition
- Poor dental health
How to Diagnose Bacterial Pneumonia?
Diagnosis of bacterial pneumonia includes various diagnostic tests and thorough history and physical exam. During a physical exam, the doctor will listen to the lungs to determine whether they sound dysfunctional.
Your doctor may also recommend chest X-rays to check for areas of inflammation and infiltration in the lungs.
Chest CT scan and an arterial blood gas sample is another diagnostic method that measures the amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the arterial blood. It determines breathing efficiency and gas exchange.
Treatment for bacterial Pneumonia
Treatment for bacterial pneumonia includes antibiotics that target the causes of infection. There are also OTC products that will alleviate the pain.
