Bacterial Pneumonia: Symptoms, Transmission, and Treatment

Bacterial pneumonia is a serious infection of the lungs that generates symptoms such as cough with phlegm, fever, and difficulty breathing, which arises after a cold or flu that does not heal or worsens over time.

In general, bacterial pneumonia is caused by the bacteria in Streptococcus pneumonia, however, other etiological agents such as Klebsiella pneumonia, Staphylococcus aureus, Haemophilus influenzae, Legionella pneumophila can also lead to the onset of the disease.

Bacterial pneumonia is usually not contagious & can be treated at home with the ingestion of antibiotics prescribed by the doctor. However, in the case of infants or elderly patients, it may be necessary to enter the hospital.

Symptoms of Bacterial Pneumonia

The symptoms of bacterial pneumonia are:

• Cough with a lot of phlegm;
• High fever, above 39º;
• Difficulty breathing;
• Shortness of breath;
• Chest pain.

The diagnosis of bacterial pneumonia can be made by a general practitioner or pulmonologist through tests such as a chest X-ray, blood test or a secretion analysis.

Know the symptoms of pneumonia  and  childhood pneumonia

How Bacterial Pneumonia is Transmitted

The transmission of bacterial pneumonia is very difficult, so the patient cannot infect healthy people. In general, this type of pneumonia is more frequent to be spread through the accidental entry of bacteria into the lung, through the mouth or by another infection that is developing somewhere in the body.

It can also choke on food or due to badly cured flu. Therefore, to prevent the onset of pneumonia it is recommended to wash your hands often, avoid staying indoors with poor air ventilation, such as shopping centers and cinemas, and get a flu shot, especially for children and children. elderly.

The people most at risk of infection are asthmatics, carriers of COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), or with the compromised immune system.

How the Treatment is Performed

The treatment of bacterial pneumonia can be done at home with rest and with the use of antibiotics such as Amoxicillin, Levofloxacin, or Ceftriaxone, for 7 to 14 days, as directed by the doctor.

However, in some cases, the doctor may recommend that the treatment be supplemented with daily sessions of respiratory physiotherapy, in order to improve breathing.

In more severe cases, when pneumonia is diagnosed at a more advanced stage or in the case of infants and the elderly, it may be necessary to be hospitalized to receive antibiotics intravenously and oxygen.