Pneumonia transmission pathway

How is pneumonia transmitted?

Pneumonia is a type of acute respiratory infection that damages the lungs. The disease is the main cause of death of children under 5 years. The disease is caused by various bacterial, viral, fungal microorganisms and can be transmitted by airborne droplets.

Instructions

1. Most often, pneumonia is transmitted from an already infected person. It is sufficient for the recipient to inhale air particles in which pathogenic microorganisms are present in order to get an infection. Nevertheless, when transmitting bacteria and viruses in this way, the uppermost respiratory organs (cold or flu), rather than the lungs, are most likely to be affected. Subsequently, pneumonia can already occur as a complication of the disease. Infection is caused by streptococci (Streptococcus pneumoniae) and Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b).
2. The disease is often the result of viral damage, such as measles or chicken pox. The probability of infection depends on the ability of the body's immune system to resist the pathogenic environment that forms in the human lungs. Smoking, alcoholism and polluted air often provoke the development of pneumonia. Diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, HIV (AIDS) are also risk factors.
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3. The period during which the disease can be called contagious depends on the pathogen. In some viruses, the ability to spread by airborne droplets appears 2-3 days before the onset of human manifestation of any symptoms and persists until complete cure. Theoretically, pneumonia is contagious within 2-3 weeks, however the highest probability get an infection from its carrier observed at the peak of the illness, which usually lasts 2-4 day. The incubation period is from 2 to 10 days. Its duration depends on the age, health and aggressiveness of the virus or bacteria.
4. Prevent infection by observing the basic rules of hygiene. For example, you should regularly wash your hands. Do not touch various objects to the nose, mouth and eyes. It is necessary to temporarily limit the number of contacts with sick people who are carriers of the disease. Do not use dishes, cutlery and toothbrushes of an infected person. Proper nutrition will improve the defenses of the body.
5. Treatment of pneumonia is carried out with the help of antibiotics. In most cases, the use of antibacterial agents, produced in the form of tablets, is acceptable. Hospitalization is permissible in cases of severe illness or in all cases of illness in children who were born less than 2 months ago. In case of viral infection, it is possible to administer specialized antiviral drugs.

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Can pneumonia be transmitted from person to person?

The cause of inflammation of the lungs in adults and children are bacteria and viruses. How do they penetrate the body?

The upper respiratory tract of man is inhabited not only by "good" microorganisms. Among them there are so-called conditionally pathogenic microbes. These are bacteria that normally do not cause any diseases. But if the general or local immunity is weakened, how they are immediately introduced, multiply, and cause the disease.

Can pneumonia be infected with contact, food, water or sexually transmitted infections? No, this development is impossible. Inflammation of the lungs can be obtained only through the airborne path.

Community-acquired pneumonia can occur due to the following factors:

• getting fluid from the oropharynx into the lower respiratory tract;
• inhalation of an aerosol containing microbes;
• spread of pathogens by blood from extrapulmonary foci;
• infection from neighboring affected organs.

In persons with good immunity, the main way to get sick is aspiration of fluid from the pharynx.

Since pneumonia is a consequence of some cold respiratory disease or other infectious process outside the lungs, it can not be infected by airborne droplets.

That's why inflammation of the lungs is not dangerous for others. Infection can only be a disease that led to pneumonia. However, the causative agent of infection in these diseases is not always the same. For example, pneumonia can develop after a viral cold. But the cause of the disease will be not viruses, but a secondary bacterial infection from the oropharynx.

Now we are talking about viral pneumonia. As a rule, the virus that caused the primary disease causes inflammation of the lungs. For example, the influenza virus, especially swine flu, can lead to severe viral pneumonia within 1-2 days. But in this case it is not transmitted from person to person. The patient is contagious to others only in terms of primary disease, and not complications. However, everything depends on the immunity of the person in contact. If it is sufficient, then you can not get sick at all. If not, then the flu can develop. But the development of pneumonia as complications is not necessary. Then how fate will dispose of.

The only form of contagious pneumonia is mycoplasmal pneumonia. It can be transmitted by airborne to the following groups of people:

• children;
• aged people;
• people with weakened immunity;
• people with chronic pulmonary or cardiovascular diseases.

Can children become infected with pneumonia? Again, let's return to the fact that you can catch any kind of bacteria that cause pneumonia. But it does not necessarily occur pneumonia. In the first place may develop ARI. A complication develops against a cold or not, depends on the immunity of the child.That is, the child does not have the opportunity to get infected from others by pneumonia.

The organism of children is especially susceptible to viral pneumonia. If the virus caused pneumonia in a child with good immunity, then this infection is quite dangerous, since it can cause respiratory illness in other children.

Another common cause of pneumonia in children is aspiration of a foreign body. This is especially true for toddlers. Small parts of toys, berry seeds, seeds, etc. can get into the respiratory tract and as a result of prolonged exposure cause pneumonia. Sometimes it is possible to detect the presence of a foreign body in the bronchi of a child only after several relapses of pneumonia. Foreign objects in the airways are not always visible on the roentgenogram, and they often find them only with bronchoscopy.

So, transmission of pneumonia by airborne droplets is not possible. The causative agent, of course, can be transmitted from person to person, but that it will cause inflammation of the lungs is not necessary. The same rule applies to children.

Mycoplasmal pneumonia is an exception. They can infect people with weakened immunity, as well as children and the elderly.

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I wonder if the pneumonia is contagious or not

Pneumonia is contagious or not? This question can be safely answered "yes but the probability of infection with pneumonia directly depends on what caused the disease. Since it is the pathogen of pneumonia that determines the nature of the course, the severity of the disease and the degree of its danger to surrounding people.

Types of pneumonia

A universally recognized classification of pneumonia does not exist, but doctors distinguish the following types of disease, depending on the nature of the pathogen:

• bacterial pneumonia;
• viral-bacterial;
• fungal.

It should be noted that recently in medical practice the term "pneumonia" or "pneumonia" is understood not as a chronic, namely acute inflammatory process in the lung tissue.

Thus, this disease is especially acute.

A few words about the causative agents of pneumonia

Most often, pneumonia occurs due to infection with bacteria of various kinds (gram-negative and gram-positive anaerobic bacteria), namely:

• pneumococci (or streptococci pneumonia);
• staphylococci;
• a hemophilic rod;
• klebsiella;
• intestinal and pseudomonas aeruginosa;
• proteome;
• legionella;
• anaerobic microbes (bacteroids, clostridia, etc.);
• chlamydia;
• mycoplasmas.

These pathogens are transmitted by both airborne and other routes, for example, through dust, household items, mucous membranes of the digestive tract, placenta, and the like.

It must be said that the disease with pneumonia can be caused by fungi and protozoan microorganisms, for example pneumocysts. The path of data transmission of pathogens of pneumonia is mainly airborne.

In addition to bacteria, fungi and protozoa, an important role in the disease of pneumonia is played by various viruses. These are viruses that cause such infectious diseases as influenza, parainfluenza and ARVI, as well as adenoviruses, reoviruses and herpes viruses. As a rule, they are transmitted from the sick person by the surrounding airborne pathway (pathogens ARVI), alimentary (through the mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract - adenoviruses and reoviruses). These infectious agents are contagious and cause the disease pneumonia of the viral etiology. Inflammation of the lungs of a viral nature usually lasts 1-3 days, then a bacterial infection joins the virus infection, and pneumonia acquires a viral-bacterial character.

It is in the first 1-3 days that viral pneumonia is the most contagious, because the infectious agent that caused it is very aggressive, has a high contagiousness and, accordingly, is actively transmitted by airborne droplets from the patient to a healthy sensitive person.

In addition to the aforementioned bacteria, viruses and fungi, the cause of pneumonia can be caused by pathogens of such dangerous infectious diseases, Salmonella, sap, plague, leptospirosis, chicken pox, scarlet fever, measles, etc. As a rule, these diseases are caused by different bacteria. Infectious agents of this kind are transmitted, in addition to alimentary and airborne droplets, also transplacental (through the placenta - from mother to fetus). In addition, pneumonia can infect the body of a patient with several infectious agents, for example, the influenza virus and streptococcus pneumonia. Not infrequent are other combinations of pathogens.

Diagnosis of pneumonia

The most reliable method of diagnosing the disease is radiographic. In addition, a blood test and various bacterial cultures are required.

It is necessary to say that it is not enough to perform bacterial culture alone to diagnose pneumonia sputum, because it is necessary to identify a pathogenic microorganism on the basis of bacteriosomes of blood, lung tissue and pleural liquid. The data of these studies determine the choice of drugs and the scheme of treatment of the disease. As for bacterial culture of sputum, a whole series of conditionally pathogenic microorganisms, any of which under certain conditions is capable of causing an inflammatory process in the pulmonary tissue. As for fungal pneumonia, the diagnosis of such diseases is the most complex and complex.

Danger of pneumonia of different etiology

So, is it possible to get pneumonia? Unfortunately, yes, but the probability of infection depends on the specific pathogen and the severity of the disease. As already noted, the most common and dangerous in terms of intensity and speed of infection is viral pneumonia that occurs on the background and due to catarrhal viral diseases etiology. And viral pneumonia is equally dangerous for anyone, regardless of the age and condition of the human immune system. Good immunity only speeds up recovery and helps to ensure that the disease is mild.

After 1-3 days, a bacterial infection is attached to the viral pneumonia, which, like the virus, is very dangerous to surrounding people, because infectious diseases of a bacterial nature are high contagiousness.

It must be said that both bacterial and fungal inflammation of the lungs is especially dangerous for young children and for people with weakened immunity, as well as for those who directly contact the sick person - medical staff, relatives and other In addition, bacterial pneumonia is easily spread in narrow "closed" collectives - among servicemen, watch brigades, etc. Special At-risk smokers are heavy smokers whose respiratory and cardiovascular systems experience increased stresses associated with exposure nicotine.

As for pneumonia due to some epidemiological infectious disease, we can say that pneumonia of this kind is not dangerous in and of itself, but due to the high likelihood of contamination surrounding a particular infectious disease, which was the cause of pneumonia, for example, measles, plague, anthrax and other

.

Is pneumonia a fungal etiology? Is pneumonia caused by fungal microorganisms transmitted? In the case of fungal inflammation of the lungs, as a rule, such diseases are most dangerous for people with reduced immunity, or for those who, in the nature of their professional activities, often come into contact with fungi of different kind.

Such professions include workers in certain sectors of the food, woodworking industry and agriculture, in particular, paper production, feather brewing, brewing, meat production and other It must be said that fungal pneumonia, or pneumomycosis, is difficult to treat. And an important role in this is played by the complexity of diagnosis and specific symptoms similar to those of a number of other diseases.

In general, it can be concluded that this disease is contagious, and inflammation of the lungs of any etiology is a dangerous infectious disease.

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Therefore, to prevent infection when contacting a sick person is necessary follow the rules of personal hygiene and follow medical instructions governing the treatment of infectious patients.

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Can I get infected from a patient with pneumonia?

Thinking about the question whether pneumonia is contagious or not, we must precisely determine what is included in the concept of "infectiousness". The disease is contagious if it is capable of being transmitted from a sick person to a healthy one by any means and causing the same pathology and clinical symptoms.

Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lung tissue. Doctors know more than 30 of its varieties. It can be caused as infectious agents, and toxic substances, pesticides from the external environment.

Where do infectious germs come from?

Most people get contagious microbes from the external environment: from the air when breathing, through contaminated foods, unwashed hands. And in the natural environment microorganisms are allocated by sick people and animals.

It is not a fact that when a healthy person enters the nasopharynx, a disease develops. A strong organism will not allow pathology. Immune cells are always ready to repel an "attack" of uninvited aliens. But with a decrease in protection, which is caused by unfavorable conditions, stress, physical exertion, other diseases, the body loses protective functions and "allows" pathological micro-organisms to work at full force.

Part of the infection lives in chronic foci for a long time without showing any effect. These are maxillary sinuses, carious teeth, gall bladder, intestines. Any untreated chronic processes pose a threat to a person.

Such a serious pathology as pulmonary tuberculosis can be long hiding in the lymph nodes. When activated without appropriate treatment, causes caseous pneumonia with complete disintegration of lung tissue. Can I get pneumonia from such a patient? The risk is very high, but in fact one can only predict the incidence of tuberculosis among the contact persons. And what form of the disease will arise beforehand can not be known.

In recent years, great importance is given to the nosocomial pathway of infection. There is a high risk of infection of personnel working in pulmonology departments in purulent surgery. In this case, infectious agents are particularly strong and resistant to antibiotics, as they "grew" among them.

Employees most often fall ill with pneumonia. The medical statistics of some studies indicate that 36% of staff are ill each year.

Selectivity of lung lesions is associated with a high concentration of infection in the air and droplet transmission. Those around should wear masks and change them regularly, and inside the department a sanitization regime with disinfectants and a regular inclusion of bactericidal lamps are necessary.

What microbes most often cause pneumonia

Is pneumonia invasive or not when treated at home? For family members living together, it is important to prevent the spread of the infection. It stands out when coughing, breathing, talking with small droplets of saliva. But the facts that the contact person will get the inflammation of the lungs is not.

The most dangerous damaging factors are the following microorganisms:

• Staphylococcus aureus,
• influenza virus,
• mycoplasma,
• Klebsiella,
• koksiella,
• pyogenic streptococcus,
• chlamydia,
• pneumococci,
• causative agent of legionellosis.

They are prone to high prevalence, are capable of damaging immune cells and are sensitive to lung tissue.

Who gets pneumonia more often

We list the contingents with a high risk of pneumonia for any infection.

• People suffering from various chronic diseases.
• Postponed surgical interventions.
• Patients oncology dispensary after the course of radiation therapy.
• Patients receiving hormone therapy.
• Pregnant women and women in the postpartum period.
• People who survived stressful situations, depression.
• Patients after the transferred infectious diseases (including after the flu and respiratory infection).
• Alcoholics and drug addicts.

These conditions contribute to a significant weakening of immunity. The body needs protection for the recovery period.

People who are prone to frequent catarrhal diseases should not once again contact patients with pneumonia. The appearance of a strong cough in the flu, chest pain, dyspnea should serve as an alarm for the patient, requires examination and early treatment.

L.N. Mishchenko, the doctor.

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