Pathogens Of Pneumonia

Pneumonia is an acute infection of the lungs, it can be caused by a variety of organisms entering the body – including bacteria, viruses or fungi. The infection causes an inflammation of the alveoli (air sacs) of the lungs and may result in the alveoli filling with fluid or other purulent material (Mayo Clinic, 2016). An accumulation of fluid within alveoli and portions of the lungs, can reduce the ability of the lungs to allow for oxygen diffusion across the alveoli walls. If oxygen saturation is low, it can cause the body’s cells to not work effectively. Therefore, the risk of the infection spreading through the body is increased – it is due to this reason, that pneumonia can be life-threatening (American Lung Foundation, 2016). Pneumonia

* Pneumonia is refers to an infection in the lungs that causes swelling in the lungs tissue and this inflammation

Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs. Many different organisms can cause it, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Pneumonia can range from mild to severe, and can even be deadly. The severity depends on the type of organism causing pneumonia, as well as your age and underlying health.

When CAP occurs, it is determined if the need for hospitalisation is necessary as it depends on the seriousness of the infection. Gram- positive organisms such as S. pneumoniae, naturally occur in the upper respiratory tract, is one cause of lower respiratory infections such as pneumonia, but is also a culprit in causing upper respiratory infections like otitis media. H. influenzae is just one of many bacterial infections that can result in CAP, it therefore can be subacute and present with a low-grade fever and a persistent cough for a few weeks before a patient has a diagnosis. Adults that have very little or no immunity are an easier target for certain viruses such as that of the Cytomegalovirus, which is a viral pathogen that is commonly contracted within the community, other common virus are adenovirus and herpes simplex. When a virus starts to become acute, it starts an infection within the ciliated cells within the airway. When pneumonia occurs from this viral infection, the inflammatory action starts to seep into the alveolar areas and leads to the problem of excess exudation and oedema within the respiratory tract. It is sometimes often difficult to differentiate symptoms of a viral pneumonia from that of bacterial pneumonia (Smeltzer &

Anyone can get pneumonia, but elderly, infants, and those with weakened immune system are at a higher risk. Pneumonia is commonly a complication of an upper respiratory system infection such as the influenza virus. Pneumonia often starts with symptoms that are typical of a common cold, like sore throat, nasal congestion and cough. As the infection develops in the lungs, symptoms such as fever, difficulty breathing, fatigue, wheezing, dry cough, shaking chills,

Pneumonia is described in Tabers cyclopedia medical dictionary, “as inflammation of the lungs, usually due to an infection with bacteria, viruses, or other pathogenic organisms” (p.1833)

        The pneumonia virus affects the respiratory system. The respiratory system includes the throat, voice box,windpipe, air tubes, air sacs, and most important the lungs. “This system job is to take in air from the outside and take out carbon dioxide from inside the air and that helps your body prevent illness.” (Health tab) This is how it works, the air can enter through the nose or mouth, then it passes through the air sacs, and then finally it enters in the lung. Once in the lungs the oxygen can enter the bloodstream. This maybe common knowledge but you can not live very long without breathing so the respiratory system is very important.

Pneumonia is a serious infection of the lungs. This is when the air sacs in the lungs become inflamed and fill with pus and other liquid, which make it difficult for oxygen to reach the blood through them. If there is too little oxygen in the blood, then the body’s cells cannot work properly. Pneumonia can cause lack of oxygen and the spread of infection through the body, which may lead to death. An annual flu shot can provide protection against Pneumonia since it is similar to

Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lung which results into an excess of fluid or pus accumulating into the alveoli of the lung. Pneumonia impairs gas exchange which leads to hypoxemia and is acquire by inhaling a contagious organism or an irritating agent. (Ignatavicius & Workman, 2013). Fungal, bacteria and viruses are the most common organisms that can be inhale. Pneumonia could be community-acquired or health care associated. Community –acquired pneumonia (CAP) occurs out of a healthcare facility while health care associated pneumonia (HAP) is acquired in a healthcare facility. HAP are more resistant to antibiotic and patients on ventilators and those receiving kidney dialysis have a higher risk factor. Infants, children and the elderly also have a higher risk of acquiring pneumonia due to their immune system inability to fight the virus. Pneumonia can also be classified as aspiration pneumonia if it arises by inhaling saliva, vomit, food or drink into the lungs. Patients with abnormal gag reflex, dysphagia, brain injury, and are abusing drug or alcohol have a higher risk of aspiration pneumonia (Mayo Clinic, 2013). In the case of patient E.O., this patient had rhonchi in the lower lobe and the upper lobe sound was coarse and diminished. Signs and symptoms of pneumonia include difficulty breathing, chest pain, wheezing, fever, headache, chills, cough, confusion, pain in muscle or

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a gram-positive bacteria that is a facultative anaerobe. This strain of bacteria can cause five different bacterial diseases. Streptococcus pneumoniae can cause pneumonia (an infection of the lungs), otitis media (an infection of the middle ear), sinus infections, bacteremia (an infection of the bloodstream), and meningitis (an infection of the covering around the brain and spinal cord). The most common disease it causes is pneumonia called pneumococcal pneumonia (Travelers' Health). Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs that causes the lungs to fill with fluid. This makes it difficult to breathe causing less oxygen to go to the bloodstream making this

pneumoniae and there chemotactic signals and the host cell’s alternate pathway, invade the alveoli. Also red blood cells are recruited to this site. In the third stage, mostly neutrophils are packed into the alveoli and very few bacteria remain. In the final stage, macrophages eliminate the remaining residue from the inflammatory response. As one can see, the damage which is done to the lung is largely a result of the host’s inflammatory response, which causes the build up of fluids in the lungs. If S. pneumoniae is allowed to persist in the lungs it can then invade the blood, which causes bacteremia. When in the blood it can traverse the blood-brain barrier and infect the meninges, which results in meningitis. S. pneumoniae is also associated with diseases in other parts of the respiratory tract including the paranasal sinuses, which is better known as sinusitis, and the middle ear can become infected, which is known as otitis media. It has also been known to cause peritonitis, an inflammation of the peritoneum, the membrane that lines the abdominal wall, and it is also implicated in causing arthritis.

The symptoms of pneumonia depend on the age of the person, the cause and severity of the infection, and any existing problems with immunity. Some of the symptoms may include:

There are four different classifications of pneumonia including community-acquired pneumonia, hospital-acquired pneumonia, healthcare associated pneumonia, and ventilator-associated event which were previously referred to as ventilator-associated pneumonia (HESS). Bacteria, fungus, and viruses are some of the major causes of any type of pneumonia. Specifically, pneumococcus and Haemophilus, influenza are common pneumonia-causing bacteria. In children, these bacteria are the most present. Streptococcus pneumonia These microorganisms are capable of causing pneumonia, which is defined as inflamed air sacs in the lungs capable of developing fluid.

The clinical manifestations of pneumonia will be different according to the causative organism and the patient’s underlying conditions and/or comorbidities (Smeltzer, et al). Some of the manifestations are

Pneumonia is an inflammation or infection of the lungs most commonly caused by a bacteria or virus. Pneumonia can also be caused by inhaling vomit or other foreign substances. In all cases, the lungs' air sacs fill with pus , mucous, and other liquids and cannot function properly. This means oxygen cannot reach the blood and the cells of the body.