Factors that increase the risks for pneumonia

Pneumonia is a condition that affects the lungs and the respiratory system and it manifests through inflammation and fluid filling of the alveoli (microscopic sacs filled with air that absorb oxygen from the air, which are found in the lungs). This condition can be caused by many factors, including viruses, bacteria, fungi or other organisms' infections.

Other factors of risk are presented by:

• *Tobacco smoking is the one of the strongest factors of risk for developing pneumonia.
• * Already suffering from another medical condition, especially lung diseases like COPD or asthma.
• * Changes of the mental status (confusions or loss of consciousness) those factors increase the risk of breathing mucus or saliva from the nose or mouth, liquids, or food from the stomach into the lungs (aspiration).
• * Persons aging under 1 year or over 65 years.
• * Persons with impaired immune system.
• * Persons with an injury to the ribs area, a bruised rib.

Cases that involve complications or even death and require hospitalization:

• * Persons older than 65.
• * Suffer from other conditions like COPD, diabetes, asthma, chronic liver disease, chronic kidney failure or heart failure.
• * Persons that have been in a hospital for a different problem within the past year.
• * Persons with an alcohol use problem.
• * Persons that don't get enough healthy foods (malnutrition).
• * Persons that inhaled mucus or stomach contents into the lungs (aspiration).
• * Persons that have changes of mental status like delirium or dementia.
• * Persons with spleen failure as in sickle cell disease.

Complications are encountered by people over the age of 60 and:

• * Have an impaired immune system.
• * Have a heart disease.
• * Have an alcohol use problem.
• * Are residents of an institution, such as a nursing home.

Pneumonia is a common condition that affects anybody and represents a leading cause of death among people who suffer from chronic diseases and among old people. Some types of pneumonia can be prevented by vaccination. A person's chances depend on factors like the underlying health, complications that may appear, an appropriate treatment and the type of pneumonia encountered.

Pneumonia, a transmitted infection

The lung inflammation and infection that makes breathing difficult is called pneumonia. Generally, pneumonia is easily treated at home and doesn't produce permanent lung damage. However, there are cases, in patients that are older than 65, in young children or in persons that suffer from other conditions, especially COPD – chronic obstructive pulmonary disease – that require hospitalization and careful medical monitoring. Walking pneumonia is a term attributed to the mild forms of pneumonia.

Pneumonia can be acquired anywhere: at school or at work – community based pneumonia – or in hospitals or nursing homes – nosocomial pneumonia.

Pneumonia is caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites in rare cases, or other microorganisms.

• * Usually, the organism that causes most cases of pneumonia is streptococcus pneumoniae but in many cases, the specific organism can not be identified, even with tests.
• * Other types of bacteria that are responsible for pneumonia include haemophilus influenzae, mycoplasma pneumoniae, chlamydia pneumoniae, legionella pneumophila (the bacteria that cause Legionnaires' disease), staphylococcus aureus, moraxella catarrhalis, streptococcus pyogenes, neisseria meningitidis, or klebsiella pneumoniae.
• * Pneumonia can also be caused by the influenza A virus and RSV – respiratory syncytial virus.

In cases of people with affected immune system, pneumonia may have other causes including some types of fungi like pneumocystis jiroveci ( fungus that used to be called p. carinii). People suffering from AIDS are usually affected by this fungus. If the doctors believe that this fungus is the cause for pneumonia in a case, they may recommend an HIV test.