What Types Of Pneumonia Are There

By | March 10, 2025

What Types Of Pneumonia Are There – Pneumonia is inflammation of the air spaces in the lungs, often caused by infection. Infections can be caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi. There are also non-infectious pneumonias caused by inhaling or inhaling foreign substances or toxins into the lungs. About 50,000 people die from pneumonia in the United States each year. Although it can affect people of any age, pneumonia is more common in the elderly and often occurs when the immune system is weakened or weakened by another condition. Pneumonia is more serious when it affects older adults, infants and young children, or those with chronic medical conditions. Learn more about the most common types and causes of pneumonia.

Many germs can cause pneumonia. The most common are respiratory bacteria and viruses. Your body normally prevents these germs from infecting your lungs. But sometimes, even in good health, these microbes can overwhelm your immune system. Pneumonia is classified according to the types of germs that cause it and where the infection originated.

What Types Of Pneumonia Are There

What Types Of Pneumonia Are There

Bacterial pneumonia is caused by bacteria rather than viruses, fungi, or other types of microbes or foreign substances. It can be caused by many bacteria and is treated with antibiotics. Pneumonia, which can sometimes be very severe, is common and can lead to hospitalization or, in the worst cases, death. Most people hospitalized with pneumonia have bacterial pneumonia. It usually happens when a person has another illness, such as the flu. Because of the primary infection, the immune system is weakened and the bacteria cause a secondary infection.

Treatment Of Community Acquired Pneumonia In Adults Who Require Hospitalization

Viruses such as influenza, chicken pox, adenovirus or respiratory syncytial virus occur. You can catch viral pneumonia by coughing, sneezing, or touching something contaminated by an infected person. In a patient with viral pneumonia, the lungs are not only inflamed, but also prevent the flow of oxygen. It is said to be responsible for one-third of pneumonia cases. People with this type of pneumonia can also have bacterial pneumonia.

This type of pneumonia is caused by a microbe called a bacterium, which is smaller than bacteria. Mycoplasma pneumonia often causes “walking pneumonia” because the symptoms are usually mild. A person with this type of pneumonia is able to work and “walk” as opposed to more severe pneumonia where they may be bedridden or at least at home for a while.

This pneumonia is caused by contamination or inhalation of food, liquid, gas or dust. The disease has other names such as necrotizing pneumonia, anaerobic pneumonia, aspiration pneumonia and vomiting. Bacterial infections are less common in people with aspiration pneumonia. Aspiration pneumonia can often be difficult to treat because people who develop it have the disease to begin with.

Fungal pneumonia occurs when spores enter the lungs and spread widely. It is rare and usually occurs in people with compromised immune systems. However, it can occur in otherwise healthy adults. One cause of fungal pneumonia in adults is valley fever, which occurs in the southwestern United States.

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Many people respond to treatment and recover from pneumonia. However, for some people, lung disease can worsen a chronic condition or cause serious complications. Like your treatment, your recovery time will depend on the type of pneumonia you have, how severe it is, and your overall health. A young person can return to normal within a week after treatment.

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A trusted source for patients to find top doctors in their area. Be visible and accessible with up-to-date contact information, verified patient reviews, and online registration features. Pneumonia is inflammation and fluid in the lungs caused by a bacterial, viral or fungal infection. It makes breathing difficult and can cause fever and cough with yellow, green or bloody mucus. Influenza, COVID-19 and pneumococcal disease are common causes of pneumonia. Treatment depends on the cause and severity of the pneumonia.

What Types Of Pneumonia Are There

Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi. Pneumonia causes swelling (edema) of lung tissue and can cause fluid or pus in the lungs. Bacterial pneumonia is more serious than viral pneumonia, which usually resolves on its own.

Pneumonia: Signs, Symptoms, And Complications

Pneumonia can affect one or both lungs. Pneumonia in both lungs is called bilateral or double pneumonia.

Although all pneumonia is inflammation caused by a lung infection, symptoms can vary depending on whether the underlying cause is viral, bacterial, or fungal.

Bacterial pneumonia is more common and more serious than viral pneumonia. You may need to stay in the hospital. Providers treat bacterial pneumonia with antibiotics. Viral pneumonia causes flu-like symptoms and resolves on its own. Viral pneumonia usually does not require specific treatment.

We define pneumonia as pneumonia based on the pathogen (virus, bacteria, or fungus) and how you got it (community-acquired, hospital-acquired, or ventilator-associated pneumonia).

Pneumonia: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment |

You can get hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) in a hospital or nursing home for another illness or procedure. PAH is usually more serious than community-acquired pneumonia because it is often caused by bacteria resistant to methicillin-resistant antibiotics.

You can get HCAP at a long-term care facility (such as a nursing home) or at an outpatient long-term care clinic. Like hospital-acquired pneumonia, it is usually caused by bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics.

If you need to be on a ventilator or ventilator to help you breathe in the hospital (usually the ICU), you are at risk of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). The same bacteria that cause community-acquired pneumonia, as well as drug-resistant strains that cause hospital-acquired pneumonia, cause VAP.

What Types Of Pneumonia Are There

When saliva, solid food, liquid, spit or vomit enters the trachea (windpipe) and lungs. If you can’t cough them up, your lungs can become infected.

What Is Pneumonia? Symptoms, Causes, Types And Treatment

It can be difficult to tell the difference between the symptoms of a cold, the flu, and pneumonia, and only a healthcare professional can diagnose them. Because pneumonia can be life-threatening, it’s important to seek medical attention for serious symptoms that could be signs of pneumonia:

Anyone can get pneumonia. It is a common disease that diagnoses millions of people in the United States each year. About 55,000 people die of pneumonia in the United States each year. It is the most common cause in the developing world.

Not all symptoms of pneumonia will appear. Symptoms can be different in young children and adults.

Symptoms of pneumonia depend on the cause. Symptoms can be mild or severe. Babies, toddlers, and adults can have different symptoms.

With Viruses Like Flu And Coronavirus, Pneumonia Often Delivers The Fatal Blow

Symptoms of viral pneumonia usually develop over several days. Bacterial pneumonia can have similar symptoms or include:

Babies and newborns may not show symptoms of pneumonia, or their symptoms may be different from adults, including:

People over 65 or those with weakened immune systems may experience mild or subtle symptoms of pneumonia (such as coughing and shortness of breath). Symptoms of ongoing health conditions can worsen. Adults may have:

What Types Of Pneumonia Are There

Pneumonia can develop when your immune system attacks the small sacs (alveoli) in your lungs. This causes the lungs to swell and leak fluids.

Covid 19 Associated Pneumonia

Many bacteria, viruses, and fungi can cause infections that cause pneumonia. Bacteria are the most common cause in adults and viruses in school-aged children. Common conditions that can cause pneumonia include:

Pneumonia itself is not really an infection, but the bacteria and viruses that cause it are. For example, the flu can be contagious and cause pneumonia, but most people who get the flu do not develop pneumonia.

Fungal pneumonia is not contagious. Fungal infections cannot spread to humans like viruses and bacteria.

To diagnose pneumonia, your healthcare provider will ask about your health history and perform a physical exam. They will listen to your lungs with a stethoscope and may perform additional tests. These include imaging (such as chest X-rays), pulse oximetry (checking the level of oxygen in the blood), blood tests or sputum (spit) tests.

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Your provider may perform tests that check your lungs for signs of infection, measure how well your lungs are working, and test blood or body fluids to determine the cause of pneumonia. Among others:

Treatment for pneumonia depends on the cause (bacterial, viral or fungal) and how severe your condition is. In most cases, the cause is undiagnosed, and treatment focuses on managing the symptoms and making sure your condition doesn’t get worse.

Viral pneumonia often clears up on its own, but you should always follow your healthcare provider’s advice to treat symptoms and reduce the risk of serious complications.

What Types Of Pneumonia Are There

Over-the-counter medications and home remedies can help

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