Pneumonia

Pneumonia is an infection of the lung tissue. It affects about 4 million adults yearly in the United States and it is the only cause of death from an infection in the top ten causes of death.

Here's a list of factors that predispose to pneumonia:

1. Smoking

2. Diabetes

3. Alcoholism

4. Malnutrition

5. Immunosuppression

6. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

7. Steroid use

8. Neutropenia

9. Obstruction of the respiratory airways due to tumors

Most individuals present with: cough, fever, chills, chest pain especially during inspiration and eventually shortness of breath in advanced disease. Other symptoms are: headaches, nausea, diarrhea and weakness.

There is a pneumococcal vaccine that should be administrated to all individuals older than 65 years old. Individuals with any serious cardiac, lung, lier or renal disease should also receive this vaccination. Immunosuppressed individuals (taking steroids, HIV positive), diabetics, those having had their spleen removed and those with leukemia or lymphoma should receive the vaccination as soon as possible.

There are many medications that are used for treatment and they usually are very effective if the organism doesn't have resistance to that drug. Macrolides, cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones and penicillins can all be used depending on the infectious pathogen.