Pneumonia

Pneumonia is infection of one or both lungs caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi or parasites. It is characterized by inflammation of the alveoli in the lungs or by alveoli that are filled with fluid and/or pus.

Pneumonia is one of the commonest causes of hospitalization and death in young children and elderly population.

Types of Pneumonia-

Bronchial pneumonia- Affects all parts of lung.

Lobar Pneumonia- Affects one part of the lung. Pneumonia usually starts with symptoms of cold and as it progresses there is high fever (as high as 104⁰F), chills, cough with sputum and acute chest pain during inspiration.

Discovery of antibiotics in the last 50 years has dramatically improved the treatment of bacterial pneumonia. The infection usually clears up in 2-3weeks.

Prevnar and PneumoVax vaccine can be used to protect from pneumonia.
 

Peripneumonia, and pleuritic affections, re to be thus observed: If the fever be acute, and if there be pains on either side, or in both, and if expiration be attended with pain, if cough be present, and the sputa expectorated be of a blond or livid colour, or likewise thin, frothy, and florid…. When pneumonia is at its height…it is bad if he had dyspnoea…and if sweat comes out about the neck and head, for such sweats are bad, as proceeding from the suffocation, rales, and the violence of the disease.

-Hippocrates, [460-375 BC]