How many pneumonia are there

Bacterial pneumonia infects more than , Americans each year, according to the American Lung Association ALA , and you can develop this form of pneumonia on its own or after you've had a virus, like the cold or flu. Streptococcus pneumoniae isn't the only type of bacteria that can lead to bacterial pneumonia—Dr.

Casciari lists off Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydophila pneumoniae, and Legionella pneumophila as other possible causes. Sood says. Viral pneumonia is caused by a virus, and there are plenty that can make you sick, Medline Plus says.

Those include:. Unfortunately, antibiotics don't treat viral pneumonia, but there are some medications that may help if the infection is caught early, including antiviral drugs and corticosteroids, to try to help reduce inflammation, Dr. Casciari says. In more severe cases, you may need supplemental oxygen as a treatment. For milder cases of the illness, though, Dr. Sood says that your doctor will probably recommend that you rest at home and get plenty of fluids. You do have the option, however, to prevent some of the viruses that can cause pneumonia—the flu, measles, and COVID all have vaccines available to prevent severe illness.

If you are sick, stay away from others as much as possible to keep from getting them sick. Wash your hands regularly. Cough or sneeze into a tissue or into your elbow or sleeve. Clean and disinfect surfaces that are touched a lot.

Limit contact with cigarette smoke or quit smoking. Take good care of medical conditions like asthma, diabetes, or heart disease. Certain people are more likely to become ill with pneumonia: adults 65 years or older; children younger than 5 years old; people who have ongoing medical conditions like asthma, diabetes or heart disease ; and people who smoke cigarettes.

Encourage friends and loved ones to make sure they are up to date with their vaccines. Hospital-acquired pneumonia, picked up during a hospital stay, is often more severe for two reasons: one, because the bacteria may be resistant to antibiotics and, two, the people who get it are already sick.

Community-acquired pneumonia means it was acquired outside of a medical setting. Pneumonia is caused by bacteria, viruses or fungus. There are literally dozens of different causes of pneumonia, grouped by the most common types. These are:. Symptoms that signal the need to see a doctor include trouble breathing, chest pain, a persistent fever of degrees or higher, or a persistent cough.

Walking pneumonia, also known as atypical pneumonia, is caused by mycoplasma pneumoniae bacteria. It usually causes cold-like symptoms, in addition to a fever often low grade and a hacking cough.

Cameron says. Sometimes you can have community-acquired, or bacterial pneumonia, along with walking pneumonia, in which case we would just treat both of them.

A physician will first ask about your medical history and take a physical exam. This includes listening to your lungs with a stethoscope. Doctors also measure oxygen saturation through a pulse oximeter, a small sensor clipped to a finger.

There is no strict formula. A lot of it depends on gut, or experience, in fitting the story together. Walking pneumonia is a type of bacterial infection also known as mycoplasma pneumonia. This type of pneumonia is mild, and you can usually continue your daily activities when you have it, hence the name walking pneumonia.

Walking pneumonia is often spread in crowded living spaces, like dormitories or jails. The most common symptom of walking pneumonia in adults is a persistent, dry cough. The cough often continues to get worse, eventually becoming a productive cough that brings up mucus.

Kids often present with a fever or sluggishness before developing a cough that gets worse at night. Most of the symptoms of walking pneumonia, including fever and body aches, begin to resolve within five days. However, the cough from walking pneumonia can last for a month or more.

If you suspect you have walking pneumonia you should see your healthcare provider, who may be able to prescribe an antibiotic to help you recover more quickly.

Fungal pneumonia is caused when fungi that are present in the environment enter and begin growing in the lungs. This happens most commonly in people who have a suppressed immune system or other chronic health conditions. The most common causes of fungal pneumonia are:. Fungal pneumonia is often serious, especially since people most susceptible have other health concerns. Antifungal medications can help treat fungal pneumonia. Aspiration pneumonia happens when a person aspirates, or breaths a foreign substance into their lungs.

This happens most often with food or drink. This can happen without a person noticing, particularly in the elderly, people under anesthesia, or those with other health conditions. When a person aspirates food or drink, bacteria can be introduced into the lungs.

This can lead to the development of bacterial pneumonia. In other cases, a person might breath in chemicals that damage the lungs. This can lead to chemical pneumonitis, an inflammation of the lungs that can progress into pneumonia.

Common household chemicals like chlorine, fertilizer, and smoke can all cause chemical pneumonitis, as can stomach acid that is breathed into the lungs. The treatment for aspiration or chemical pneumonia will depend on what substance you inhaled, and whether it is able to be removed from the lungs. Chemical pneumonitis can lead to chronic lung problems.