Bilateral bacterial pneumonia often caused by pneumococcus but there are also viral infections. Hospitalization may be necessary for elderly and frail people
Pneumonia, a disease that struck Silvio Berlusconi, one serious illnessalthough in most cases adequate treatment allows for a perfect recovery.
80 percent of pneumonias can be managed from home, howevera hospitalization is often necessary in elderly and frail people.
The cause
Pneumonia a inflammatory process affecting the lungs, usually of an infectious nature. The bacterium most often responsible is it Streptococcus pneumoniae(also called pneumococcus) but viruses, “atypical” microorganisms including the
Mycoplasma
and Chlamydia, and much more rarely mushrooms. Although there are viral forms, viruses act above all as facilitators of bacterial superinfections, as happens for example with the flu which can be complicated by bacterial pneumonia, he explains Sergio Hararidirector of the Operational Unit of Pneumology at the San Giuseppe MultiMedica Hospital in Milan.
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Symptoms
The most characteristic symptoms are the fever, hacking cough (more typical of viral pneumonia) or fat (more frequent in bacterial pneumonia), general malaise, asthenia and especially shortness of breath. Pneumonia caused by atypical germs such as Mycoplasma pneumoniae – says Harari – they generally have a more gradual onset and are often accompanied by non-pulmonary symptoms such as headaches, muscle aches and nausea. While in the case of bacterial pneumonia, by listening to the lungs with a stethoscope, the doctor hears noises that indicate the presence of abnormal liquids in the pulmonary alveoli, in atypical pneumonia these are heard less.
The diagnosis
The diagnosis of pneumonia is usually made with a chest x-ray but in some cases a careful examination and listening to the lungs with a stethoscope may be enough to start a targeted therapy. If the patient responds well to therapy, no further tests will be needed. In doubtful cases one may also be needed Tacwhen the X-ray is negative.
The therapies
The bacterial forms and those caused by atypical microorganisms are treated with antibiotics. In most cases the most suitable drug is identified in relation to the patient’s characteristics, the circulating germs and the severity of the disturbances, as in most cases the infectious agent cannot be identified – explains Sergio Harari -. Symptomatic drugs can then be useful to mitigate fever and cough. The antibiotic must be taken carefully following the doctor’s instructions so that the therapy is successful. In fact, interrupting it before necessary exposes you to the risk of developing resistance, while prolonging it beyond the indications of the guidelines favors side effects, from diarrhea to nausea depending on the type of antibiotic used. For most pneumonias, a 5-7 day treatment is sufficient. The disease can affect anyone, but they are more likely to develop it elderly or chronically ill people such as diabetes, cardiorespiratory pathologies, smokers who more often may encounter complications that may require ventilatory support with admission to the intensive care unit.
Prevention
Some vaccinations may help to reduce the risk of developing pneumonia. The recommended vaccines are the one against the pneumococcus (both 23 and 13-valent), the bacterium most often responsible for pneumonia, and the one againstinfluenzaas the flu virus can pave the way for bacterial superinfections that can lead to pneumonia.
Every year in Italy there are about 150,000 people hospitalized for pneumonia and about 9,000 die. Mortality in our country, although not negligible, is one of the lowest in Europe. It is one of the most common causes of death from infectious disease
April 5, 2023 (change April 5, 2023 | 4:30 pm)
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