Supervisor Elham AbolFateh
Editor in Chief Mohamed Wadie

Know More about Forgotten Epidemic 'Pneumonia' with Dr. Badran


Sat 21 Dec 2019 | 10:14 PM
H-Tayea

Pneumonia is a very common infection that can cause a severe illness in which one or both lungs can fill with fluid or phlegm, mucus that is generated in the lungs. Accumulation of fluid in the lungs can lead to the development of pneumonia. Additionally, an overabundance of mucus in the lungs can cause scarring, and in extreme cases, it can result in significantly more damage to the lungs, Dr. Magdy Badran said.

Ninety-five percent of all episodes of clinical pneumonia in young children worldwide occur in developing countries. Approximately 150 million new cases of pneumonia occur annually among children younger than 5 years worldwide, accounting for approximately 10-20 million hospitalizations.

The illness claimed the lives of more than 800,000 children under the age of five last year, or one child every 39 seconds. Most deaths occurred among children under the age of two, and almost 153,000 within the first month of life. More children under the age of five died from the disease per year than from any other, 437,000 children under five died due to diarrhea and 272,000 to malaria.

Millions of children are dying for want of vaccines, affordable antibiotics, and routine oxygen treatment. It is a symptom of neglect and indefensible inequalities in access to health care.

Children with immune systems weakened by other infections like HIV or by malnutrition, and those living in areas with high levels of air pollution and unsafe water, are at far greater risk.

Funding available to tackle pneumonia lags far behind other diseases. Only 3% of current global infectious disease research spending is allocated to pneumonia, despite the disease-causing 15% of deaths in children under the age of five.

Globally, 32% of children with suspected pneumonia are not taken to a health facility. That figure rises to 40% for the poorest children in low- and middle-income countries.

Transmission

It can be spread in a number of ways, including coughs or sneezes that aren’t covered, sharing cups or eating utensils, touching a tissue or other item after someone with bacterial or viral pneumonia has used it and not washing his or her hands regularly, especially after blowing the nose, coughing, or sneezing. In addition, it may spread through blood, especially during and shortly after birth.

It’s possible to have pneumonia that can’t spread to other people.

Not everyone will develop pneumonia when exposed to the same germs. People who are at high risk of developing pneumonia include children under 2, adults over 65, pregnant women, anyone with a weakened immune system (such as people with HIV/AIDS, people with an autoimmune disease, or anyone undergoing chemotherapy), people with a chronic disease, like diabetes, people who have been hospitalized, people who smoke and people with lung disease (such chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or asthma) or heart disease.

The following environmental factors also increase a child's susceptibility to pneumonia: indoor air pollution caused by cooking and heating with biomass fuels (such as wood or dung), sudden changes of temperature, living in crowded homes and parental smoking.

If bacteria caused this illness, they could get into the blood, especially if pneumonia is not treated. It's a problem called bacteremia. Bacteremia can lead to a serious situation known as septic shock. It's a reaction to the infection in the blood, and it can cause blood pressure to drop to a dangerous level. When the blood pressure is too low, the heart may not be able to pump enough blood to the organs, and they can stop working.

Lung abscesses, sometimes it can cause pockets of pus to build up in the lungs. It's more likely to happen with: bacteremia, a weakened immune system, and alcohol addiction.

Pleural effusions, empyema, and pleurisy, if the pneumonia isn't treated, the pleura can get swollen. If not treated, the area between the pleura may fill with fluid, which is called a pleural effusion. If the fluid gets infected, it leads to a problem called empyema.

Other complications are respiratory failure, kidney failure, and heart failure.

It can be caused by a wide variety of bacteria, viruses, and fungi in the air we breathe. Identifying the cause of pneumonia can be an important step in getting the proper treatment.

Bacteria is the leading cause of pneumonia. The most common cause of bacterial pneumonia is a type of bacteria known as Streptococcus pneumonia. Haemophilus influenza, Chlamydia pneumonia, Mycoplasma pneumonia, and Legionella pneumonia are some other major bacteria that cause pneumonia. Pneumonia of these types are quite common and are often referred to as community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Streptococcus pneumonia is the most common cause of bacterial pneumonia in children and Haemophilus influenzae type b the second most common cause of bacterial pneumonia.

People who spend significant time around or in hospitals or other health-care facilities can be exposed to other types of bacteria that are much more dangerous. Pneumonia from these types of bacteria is referred to as health-care-associated pneumonia (HAP).

Atypical pneumonia is another form of pneumonia that is usually only prevalent during the latter half of the year, primarily during the summer and winter months.

Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a highly contagious respiratory disease. It is caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. Pertussis is known for uncontrollable, violent coughing which often makes it hard to breathe. After cough fits, someone with pertussis often needs to take deep breaths, which result in a “whooping” sound. Pertussis can affect people of all ages but can be very serious, even deadly, for babies less than a year old.

Fungal pneumonia is caused by fungi that infect one or both lungs, typically through inhalation of spores. Two main types of fungi can cause that illness: opportunistic and endemic fungi. Fungal pneumonia is a rare type of pneumonia; travelers often contract this version when in regions where endemic fungi are present. Fungal pneumonia is most common in people with chronic health problems or weakened immune systems, and in people who are exposed to large doses of certain fungi from contaminated soil or bird droppings.

Aspiration pneumonia is not contagious because it is caused by inhaling food or liquid into the lungs. Pulmonary aspiration is when you inhale food, stomach acid, or saliva into the lungs. You can also aspirate food that travels back up from the stomach to the esophagus. All of these things may carry bacteria that affect the lungs. Patients may be at increased risk of aspiration and/or the development of aspiration pneumonia with decreased ability to clear oropharyngeal secretions, poor cough or gag reflex, impaired swallowing mechanism or impaired ciliary transport (e.g., from smoking). Healthy lungs can clear up on their own. If they don’t, pneumonia can develop as a complication.

Tips to prevent the spread of pneumonia

Wash your hands regularly, especially if you are caring for someone who has pneumonia. Try to limit contact with people who are sick when possible. Similar to a flu shot, these vaccines won’t protect against all types of the illness, but if you do come down with pneumonia, it’s less likely to be as severe or potentially life-threatening. Stop or don’t start smoking. Keep your body in good health with exercise and a healthy diet. If you have any ongoing health problems, take all medications as prescribed.