Pneumonia
By: Bradley Feather
Description
Pneumonia is an infection in one or both lungs.
Symptoms
The general symptoms of bacterial pneumonia can develop quickly and may include:
- chest pain
- shaking chills
- fever
- dry cough
- muscle aches
- nausea/vomiting
- rapid breathing
- rapid heartbeat
- difficulty breathing
Causes
In most cases, respiratory viruses can cause pneumonia, especially in young children and the elderly.
Bacterial pneumonia can affect anyone at any age. It can develop on its own or after a serious cold or flu. The most common cause of bacterial pneumonia is streptococcus pneumoniae.
Treatments
Antibiotics have no effect on viruses and will kill bacteria only if that particular strain of
bacteria is susceptible to the antibiotic drug being used. Also, the dose of the antibiotic must be high enough and must be given long
enough to kill the bacteria involved in the pneumonia. Bacteria can develop resistance to certain antibiotics and this resistance can be
transferred from one generation of bacteria to the next. Therefore, strains of antibiotic-resistant bacteria can develop.