How to avoid getting pneumonia

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Is it possible to get pneumonia?

Pneumonia has an infectious cause. At the everyday level, we know that infections are “contracted” in one way or another: respiratory - through the air, intestinal - through food, sexually transmitted - through unprotected sexual intercourse.

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Moreover, there is a special vaccine against pneumonia, which confirms the contagiousness of this disease.

On the other hand, each of us has at least once been in contact with pneumonia. In hospitals, patients with pneumonia lie in regular wards, along with other patients. In this case, no one gets infected. How so? Is pneumonia contagious or not? And if so, how is it transmitted?

Is it possible to catch pneumonia from others?

At the everyday level, the average person can observe the development of a complex of respiratory symptoms - cough, runny nose, fever, intoxication - after contact with a person with a cold. Symptoms, progressing over several days, can turn into a serious condition with the need to call an ambulance and a subsequent diagnosis of pneumonia. From the point of view of everyday logic, the relationship between contact with someone who has a cold and subsequent pneumonia is obvious. However, in reality, other factors play a leading role in pneumonia.

Pneumonia is inflammation of the lungs caused by bacteria. In extremely rare cases, such as in people with immunodeficiency, the cause of the disease can be a fungal infection. To penetrate the lungs, microbes must overcome almost insurmountable obstacles:

  • The nasopharynx has a curved structure, due to which, during inhalation, air micro-turbulences are created, leading to the settling of microorganisms and dust particles on the nasal mucosa.
  • The mucous membrane of the nasal cavity, larynx, trachea and bronchi is covered with the so-called ciliated epithelium, rich in secretory glands - thanks to this device, bacteria that enter the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract are isolated and removed.
  • Even if pathogenic microorganisms managed to overcome the barriers described above, the immune system appears in their path - lymphoid tissue is well represented in the structure of the respiratory tract mucosa.

Nature has formed the human respiratory organs in such a way that the lungs are maximally protected and bacteria cannot enter them.

But we should not forget that when someone with pneumonia coughs, they release tens of thousands of pathogenic microorganisms to one degree or another into the air. If another person has reduced protective functions of the respiratory tract, he may get sick, for example: pharyngitis, rhinitis, sore throat.

How is pneumonia transmitted?

The bacteria that cause most cases of pneumonia are the traditional causative agents of all respiratory infections:

These bacteria spread through the air, through shared objects, and through close contact.

Bacteria that cause pneumonia are widely present in the environment. Streptococcus, for example, lives on the mucous membranes of the nose, mouth and throat in 99% of people. At the same time, the body's defense mechanisms do not allow potential infection to penetrate into the lower respiratory tract.

Thus, the state of the immune system is key to the possible transmission of bacteria that cause pneumonia from one person to another.

Who is susceptible to infection?

The following categories of patients are susceptible to pneumonia:

  • those suffering from any viral respiratory infection - ARVI, influenza, adenoviruses, etc.;
  • those suffering from HIV;
  • subjected to immunosuppressive therapy;
  • have undergone chemotherapy;
  • patients taking antibiotics for a long time;
  • those suffering from autoimmune diseases;
  • suffering from chronic bronchopulmonary obstruction, pulmonary emphysema, pulmonary tuberculosis;
  • those suffering from respiratory cancer;
  • people who smoke;
  • suffered severe hypothermia.

All of the above categories of patients have reduced immunity - a key factor in the development of pneumonia. In adults, several factors often occur at once, which, layered on top of each other, over time can lead to the development of pneumonia.

Is pneumonia contagious to other children?

On the one hand, the child’s immune system is in the stage of intense “training”. The number of lymphocytes - the main cells of the immune system - is maximum in children. The immune response to invading bacteria is violent and sharp. A respiratory infection in a child manifests itself with very pronounced symptoms.

On the other hand, the child's airways are short. This anatomical feature makes children more vulnerable to respiratory infections. Much is determined by the virulence of microbes and their concentration in the inhaled air. However, very often microbes successfully colonize the respiratory tract, managing to settle in the lower sections, despite an intense immune response.

Pneumonia in children can develop against the background of a respiratory disease of any location. In this case, viral infection plays a key role in this process:

  1. A respiratory virus, entering the respiratory tract, has an immunosuppressive effect, i.e. suppresses the immune system response.
  2. Bacteria that are found in the environment take advantage of the opportunity and spread through the respiratory tract, causing respiratory illness ranging from pharyngitis to pneumonia.

How contagious is pneumonia in pregnant women?

In some cases, the immunity of pregnant women is reduced. However, not so much as to become infected with pneumonia from others. In the absence of chronic bronchopulmonary diseases, the main cause of the development of pneumonia is viral infections. In particular, it is known that pneumonia is the most common complication accompanying influenza.

In general, pneumonia in a pregnant woman is an extraordinary phenomenon in the modern world.

How to avoid getting pneumonia

To reduce the risk of pneumonia, several rules should be followed:

  • do not overcool;
  • correctly treat viral respiratory infections - with antiviral drugs, not antibiotics;
  • Get an annual flu shot;
  • no smoking;
  • If you have a cough, always consult a doctor.

People suffering from bronchopulmonary pathologies, in addition to the above recommendations, must be vaccinated with PNEUMO-23.

Basic recommendations for increasing immunity include:

  • maintaining an active lifestyle;
  • maintaining a positive attitude;
  • varied diet;
  • daily presence of vegetables in the diet.

Conclusion

It is impossible to become infected with pneumonia directly from others. Therefore, pneumonia is not contagious.

With weakened immunity and chronic bronchopulmonary diseases, the risk of developing pneumonia increases significantly.

Pneumonia is provoked by viral infections and is their complication.

Children attending kindergartens and other crowded places are at greater risk of pneumonia than adults.

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Source: http://www.pulmonologiya.com/zabolevaniya-legkih/pnevmoniya/zarazna-li.html

Is pneumonia contagious to other children? How to protect a child?

Is pneumonia contagious to other children and how is it transmitted from one child to another? The question of whether this disease is contagious lies on the surface and is discussed in our article.

You can get a vaccination against pneumonia, that is, introduce weakened pneumococcal bacteria into the human body to strengthen immunity to the “infection.” Once there is a pathogen, the disease can be transmitted from child to child.

But is pneumonia itself transmitted or can one only become infected by provoking diseases?

Is pneumonia contagious to other children?

Before dealing with pneumonia in a child and how contagious it is, you first need to understand what type of pneumonia he has. The most significant for determining the question of the contagiousness of pneumonia is the division of pneumonia depending on the conditions of its occurrence into:

Nosocomial pneumonia is very dangerous and insidious. In terms of the number of deaths, it far exceeds community-acquired disease.

It usually occurs suddenly. The baby and his mother were admitted to the hospital with a simple acute respiratory viral infection or another disease. After 2-3 days, symptoms characteristic of pneumonia developed.

The infection that causes this disease multiplies quickly and spreads from another sick child throughout the ward if the room is not properly sanitized. At the same time, such flora becomes resistant to antibacterial agents.

In addition, nosocomial pneumonia can be contracted by:
  • in intensive care (the body is too weakened);
  • when using a tube for artificial ventilation of the lungs;
  • if the child is sick with bronchitis (in this case the risk is especially high).

Community-acquired pneumonia is less dangerous and the likelihood of infection is much lower. As a rule, such pneumonia becomes a complication:

Can you get pneumonia from a sick child?

Infection occurs through contact with other sick children. That is why you cannot send a child to kindergarten if too many classmates are sick, but continue to attend preschool.

For example, if two children living in the same room become ill with pneumonia at the same time, then the parents:

  • do not ventilate the room;
  • do not do regular wet cleaning;
  • neglect the advice of doctors;
  • leaving the course of antibiotic treatment unfinished.

The result is that both “catch” pneumonia and find themselves in a dangerous situation. At the same time, Komarovsky does not exclude the possibility of infection, but considers it very unlikely.

How is pneumonia transmitted in children according to Komarovsky?

The famous doctor Evgeny Komarovsky, who has been studying childhood lung diseases, including pneumonia, for a long time, does not exclude the possibility of contracting pneumonia from other children, but the widespread nature of this phenomenon is highly questionable. So, pneumonia in children, is it contagious to the children around them, according to Komarovsky, and how is it transmitted?

He believes that the disease is transmitted in the rarest cases, and its development in several children at once, constantly in contact with each other, is associated not with the “exchange” of bacteria, but with external factors.

With pneumonia, mucus accumulates in the bronchi, which, if not properly treated, dries out and hardens. From here, inflammatory processes arise, causing the spread of infection and interfering with respiratory function. This happens due to the neglect of bronchitis, ARVI or influenza. Therefore, it is important to consult a doctor promptly at the first signs of a cold or bronchitis.

For details on the topic “pneumonia in a child, how it is transmitted,” watch the video with Komarovsky’s participation:

How to avoid getting pneumonia?

The child is very vulnerable to viral diseases - his immunity is poorly developed. In addition, children are often exposed to factors that contribute to the development of pneumonia:

This makes children the most common risk group. To protect babies from a dangerous disease, you should first of all vaccinate them. Please note that there is a different drug for each age:

  • at the age of up to one year, Prevenar is vaccinated;
  • from one to two years – “Akt-HIB”;
  • over two years of age are vaccinated with Pneumo-23.

The last drug has proven itself to be the best and is popular all over the world.

In addition to vaccinations, it is important to follow preventive measures that will protect your baby from pathogens and prevent the development of pneumonia:

  1. Teach hygiene. They must wash their hands with soap before every meal.
  2. The child should walk more in the fresh air. Ideally, at least 2 hours a day.
  3. The children's room should be regularly wet cleaned and the room should be ventilated. Viruses are “afraid” of moist and cool air, and the risk of contracting pneumonia is significantly reduced.
  4. All colds should be treated immediately and strictly in accordance with the pediatrician's recommendations. Pneumonia rarely occurs on its own; most often it becomes a complication of influenza or ARVI;
  5. You should include as many vitamins as possible in your diet. There should always be fresh vegetables and fruits on the table - this is necessary to strengthen the immune system.

Hardening is also recommended. A short contrast shower is good for this. But you should be careful - if you “overdo it” and give your baby a cold, the risk of a cold, and therefore pneumonia, increases significantly. Therefore, before starting to harden your child, a consultation with a pediatrician is required.

How long does a child remain contagious after illness?

We have already established that it is almost impossible to become directly infected with pneumonia, but it is more than possible to “catch” the causative agent of a previous disease, for example, influenza or rhinovirus. It is important to know how long it is worth restricting a sick child from communicating with peers in order to prevent the spread of infection.

The baby becomes “dangerous” to others 1-3 days before the first symptoms of the disease appear. It is extremely difficult to avoid infection, since the disease is not yet known, but the infection has already begun to spread. Therefore, at the first sign of a cold, you need to urgently isolate the baby. This is necessary both for the safety of other children and to protect the sick person from new pathogens.

The main “contagious period” includes the time of illness itself and several days after discharge. Doctors recommend less contact with other children for two weeks from the date of amendment, but sometimes the danger to others can persist for up to 50 days. We are talking about such “malware” as:

If one of your child’s friends has recently had bronchitis or pneumonia, you need to work on his immunity for some time. Vitamin complexes, vegetables and fruits will come to the rescue.

So, pneumonia itself can be contagious only in rare cases, and you just learned from our article whether pneumonia in children is contagious or not.

As you understand, the danger is posed by bacteria that cause colds, causing bronchitis and pneumonia. Don’t start ARVI, go to the pediatrician and get treatment. This will save your baby from serious consequences, and you from unnecessary worries!

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Source: http://bronhus.com/zabolevaniya/legkie/pnevmoniya/deti/zarazna-li.html

How is pneumonia transmitted from person to person and is it contagious to others?

Pneumonia is an inflammatory process in the lungs; the disease is infectious and affects all lung tissue. The causative agent of the disease can be transmitted in different ways: through airborne droplets or household objects. Every person needs to know what type of pneumonia is the most dangerous and how it is transmitted.

Can you catch pneumonia from others?

At home, a person may experience symptoms of ARVI, and if no action is taken, the cold may be complicated by pneumonia. These symptoms and complications may occur after contact with sick people. Doctors believe that completely healthy people are not susceptible to infection from others.

People with weak immune systems can easily get sick. You can become infected after a simple conversation with a patient; people who are in stressful situations, with increased irritability or hypothermia are also most susceptible.

There is also a possibility of infection through household contact. Microbes and bacteria get on household objects, and their vital activity remains active for about 4 hours.

A person touching household appliances or pieces of furniture can pick up the bacteria and introduce it into his body. The bacterium, once in favorable conditions, begins to actively multiply and spread throughout the lung tissues.

Which types of pneumonia are contagious and which are the most dangerous?

Some types of pneumonia are not contagious, while others, on the contrary, are quite dangerous. The most common place of infection for this disease is the hospital.

Pneumonia is divided into the following types:

  1. In bedridden patients, blood stagnates in the lungs and bronchi and a congestive form begins, which is not dangerous for the people around them and it is not possible to become infected.
  2. Sick leave. The pathogen of this type is very resistant to a variety of medications, it is for this reason that treatment is quite complex, and this species is very dangerous and can become infected quite easily.
  3. Acute or focal. The source of infection is localized in several or one area of ​​the lungs and can cause pneumonia on one side or bilateral. This type of disease is the most dangerous for others. The disease occurs without any symptoms.
  4. Chronic. This type occurs if the acute form of the disease is not treated. The chronic form is contagious to other people; if treatment is started in time, the disease can be overcome without consequences.
  5. Atypical. The causative agent of this disease is various viruses and bacteria; the form is contagious, but in most cases the infected person develops another disease, but not pneumonia.
  6. Basal. This form is quite difficult to diagnose and poses a great danger to children. This pneumonia is transmitted in everyday life and through communication with a sick person.
  7. Caseous. A rather dangerous variety, which is pulmonary tuberculosis. This species is very dangerous for people, the disease becomes more complicated very quickly.
  8. Bronchial. This variety is very similar to the atypical form, the main difference is the localization of bacteria in the bronchial alveoli.

How is pneumonia transmitted?

Most of the bacteria that cause pneumonia are the causative agents of colds. These pathogens are transmitted through household items, airborne droplets and through close contact with a sick person.

The bacteria that cause the disease are quite common in the human environment. Streptococcal bacteria are localized on the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose and pharynx.

Incubation period

When a person with pneumonia begins to cough or sneeze, he releases many germs that can easily provoke the disease.

If a healthy person inhales these microbes, they will begin their life activity in the human body, and for the first days no symptoms will be observed.

The incubation period lasts up to five days. During this time, nothing bothers the person, only the temperature may rise slightly.

If we talk about the household route of infection, then the virus that has settled on household items can be active for 3–4 hours. Pneumonia can be contracted if a person touches an object with germs and puts their hand near their mouth, nose, or eyes. If a person has a strong immune system, then he may not get sick.

At-risk groups

The following people are more susceptible to contracting pneumonia:

  • persons with weak immunity;
  • women in an interesting position;
  • taking hormonal medications;
  • with an exhausted body;
  • people suffering from addiction (drug, alcohol);
  • having chronic diseases;
  • suffered from colds;
  • persons with diseases of the endocrine system;
  • people in the postoperative period.

Is pneumonia contagious to other children?

Due to the structure of the respiratory tract, the baby is most susceptible to pneumonia. In children, this disease develops due to a cold, and respiratory infection plays the most important role in development.

The cold virus begins to suppress the child's immune system, and complications can gradually occur, including pneumonia.

In children, this disease often occurs after a cold; upon contact with a person who has pneumonia, children become infected very rarely.

How contagious is pneumonia in pregnant women?

Women who are in an interesting position experience a decrease in immunity. If signs of a respiratory disease begin to appear, you must immediately contact your local doctor and begin treatment.

Pneumonia often occurs due to a cold that is not cured in a timely manner. For an expectant mother, this is quite dangerous; she can put the health of her unborn baby at great risk.

What happens after healing?

When a person contracts pneumonia, either part of one lung or both organs may be affected. If bilateral inflammation has developed, the recovery process will take several months longer. During recovery, a person must gradually undergo all necessary rehabilitation.

The doctor necessarily prescribes the patient to take medications aimed at suppressing bacteria, medications aimed at eliminating inflammation and symptoms of the disease. The initial stage of recovery takes place in hospital mode and is sent for treatment of pneumonia.

Procedures for the rehabilitation of the disease help to avoid possible complications. The entire rehabilitation period is aimed at normalizing the functions of the alveoli; without them, proper functioning of the lungs is not possible. If you do not take the necessary medications, serious complications can occur, including cirrhosis of the lungs.

To achieve the best effect during the rehabilitation period, a person needs to use physical therapy and moderate physical therapy in combination with medications. In addition, you must adhere to a diet.

When the patient just recovers from the disease, doctors recommend performing light exercises aimed at the respiratory tract. As soon as the condition improves further, you can slowly add physical activity. You cannot apply a large amount of physical activity at once.

After the person gets better, you can take a short walk every day, but preferably in normal weather conditions so that the condition does not worsen.

For physiotherapy, special inhalations are used; this is necessary for a person to remove phlegm and mucus from the lungs, bronchi and alveoli.

Using frankincense and fir oil, you can relieve inflammation and remove phlegm, and baking soda dissolved in water is also used for inhalation.

When a person suffers from pneumonia, he or she experiences a rapid and significant loss of energy and this causes severe weakness. It is for this reason that a person needs to eat healthy food.

A person who has overcome pneumonia needs to eat porridge and be sure to take vitamins. To restore strength, you need to eat as many high protein foods as possible. During rehabilitation periods, you should not eat spicy, fried or smoked foods; these foods significantly slow down the recovery processes.

A person who has had pneumonia needs to eat large amounts of high-calorie foods and drink as much as possible. Drinking should consist of herbal tea and mineral water.

To remove toxins and waste from the body, it is advisable to drink mint or thyme tea. In some cases, people who have had pneumonia are sent for a period of rehabilitation to various resorts or sanatoriums.

Prevention of contracting pneumonia

To avoid getting pneumonia, you need to carefully monitor your health, eat right and take a complex of vitamins, minerals and trace elements.

In addition, there are comprehensive measures to protect people from infection:

  1. Children of kindergarten age and people over 65 years of age are vaccinated; vaccinations are mainly done in winter; during this period of time the risk of pneumonia is quite high.

After the vaccine, a person must develop antibodies, with the help of which, if necessary, they will fight the disease.

  • A person must follow a daily routine. Rest and work hours should correspond to each other in time, and sleep should be at least 6 hours.
  • To avoid getting pneumonia, a person must strengthen his immune system. For this, taking vitamins, proper and healthy nutrition, eating vegetables and fruits, as well as hardening procedures are perfect.
  • Hygiene plays an important role; it is necessary to constantly wash your hands, this will help prevent dangerous bacteria from entering the body.
  • In case of contact with a patient with pneumonia, be sure to wear a protective mask.

    • Pneumonia is a fairly serious disease that can take a person’s life. To prevent the disease, it is necessary to monitor the immune system, daily routine and nutrition.

    Children attending kindergartens, schools, and the elderly are most susceptible to contracting pneumonia. If signs of a cold appear, treatment must be started immediately; pneumonia most often occurs as a result of an untreated respiratory infection.

    Source: http://stopzaraza.com/vidy/zaraza-pnevmoniej.html

    Is pneumonia contagious and how is it transmitted?

    Is pneumonia contagious or not? How is pneumonia transmitted? Not only ordinary people, but also doctors are concerned about finding answers to these questions. This is justified by the fact that, despite advances in the diagnosis and treatment of this pathology, the proportion of morbidity with the development of complications and death is still high. This article contains information about how you can get pneumonia and what to do to avoid getting the disease.

    Causes and mechanisms of possible transmission of pneumonia from person to person

    As is known, pneumonia is an acute infectious process of damage to lung tissue. It occurs due to the entry of various pathogens into the lungs. In order to catch a microbe, there must be certain conditions for this.

    The main causative agents of the inflammatory process are:

    • bacteria;
    • chlamydia;
    • mycoplasma;
    • fungi;
    • pneumocystis;
    • combination of microbes.

    The range of microorganisms is wide, so the answer to the question of whether pneumonia is contagious in adults will be positive. Because, like any contagious disease, it has a high probability that germs can simply be transmitted from a sick person to a healthy one.

    In microbiology, the following pathogen transmission mechanisms are distinguished:

    1. Aerogenic, or respiratory, is caused by inhalation of infected water aerosol or dust particles.
    2. Fecal-oral, in which the infection enters the body with food, water, through contaminated objects or hands.
    3. Bloody, or hematogenous, which can occur when using contaminated syringes, needles, medical and cosmetic instruments, during transfusion of blood substitutes, infusion of infusion solutions, insect bites, coitus.
    4. Contact - for injuries, sexual intercourse.
    5. Transplacental or vertical - from the mother through the placenta to the fetus.

    In addition, in the question of how to get pneumonia, it is important to learn about the pathogenetic processes that cause infection of the lower respiratory tract.

    In pulmonology, such mechanisms of pathogenesis are determined as:

    1. Aspiration of mucus from the oropharynx.
    2. Inhalation of contaminated particles.
    3. Spread of a pathogen through blood from another site.
    4. Transfer of inflammation from neighboring organs (liver, mediastinum).
    5. Penetrating chest injury.

    The entry of infected mucus from the nasopharynx into the lower sections is the main route of infection. Microaspiration occurs constantly, especially at night, but the body’s defenses are able to prevent the disease from developing. But in some cases, with weakened immunity or massive contamination, pathogens penetrate into the mucous membrane of the bronchi and alveoli.

    Predisposing factors to developing pneumonia

    Pneumonia is contagious and how pneumonia is transmitted largely depends on the nature of the pathogen. But the most important mechanism of infection is aerogenic. That is, we can say that pneumonia is transmitted by airborne droplets. It is characteristic of primary damage, when the disease occurred against the background of complete health.

    If secondary pneumonia occurs, whether it is possible to become infected with it will be a controversial issue. In cases where pneumonia occurs as a complication of an existing infectious process and is one of the syndromes, it is possible that contacts become infected, but it is unlikely that lung damage will occur.

    Is pneumonia contagious to others if it occurs as a result of a severe physical illness, such as heart failure or a paralyzed patient? The answer will be negative, because here the pathogenesis of the disease is based on congestion in the lungs and the cause is opportunistic microorganisms. People who are more likely to become infected from another person include:

    • weakened infants;
    • old people;
    • those suffering from immunodeficiency;
    • having chronic lesions of the lung tissue (cystic fibrosis, COPD, bronchiectasis);
    • heavy smokers;
    • pregnant women;
    • cancer patients;
    • those suffering from alcoholism;
    • receiving treatment with glucocorticoids or cytostatics;
    • having chronic heart disease;
    • after severe hypothermia;
    • patients with diabetes mellitus;
    • often suffering from ARVI with bronchitis.

    How to get pneumonia outside the hospital

    Community-acquired or home infections include cases of the disease that developed outside the walls of a medical institution. This is the most common group of lower respiratory tract infections. Whether pneumonia is contagious or not depends on the causative agent of the infectious process.

    The most common pathogenic factors of community-acquired infection are:

    • pneumococci;
    • hemophilus influenzae;
    • staphylococci.

    Whether it is possible to become infected with pneumonia if the causative agent is pneumococcus is indicated by the fact that this microbe is most often the cause of this pathology. Pneumococcus is a typical causative agent of a lobar (affecting an entire lobe) process, and in weakened patients it causes bronchopneumonia. Infection occurs in close groups, where there are more conditions for the infection to be transmitted by airborne droplets. Very often occurs during influenza epidemics.

    Haemophilus influenzae causes damage to the respiratory tract in children from 2 months of age to 6 years. The infection is dangerous for patients with chronic pathologies of the respiratory system, people with immunodeficiency and smokers. In order to understand how to get pneumonia of hemophilic etiology, you need to know that only a person can be the source of infection. The mechanism of transmission of the bacterium is aerogenic. You can become infected by inhaling air containing droplets of mucus released when coughing, talking or sneezing.

    Staphylococci are representatives of normal human microflora. Therefore, the question arises: is it possible to contract pneumonia from a patient if it is caused by staphylococcus? These bacteria can be transmitted by airborne droplets and dust, fecal-oral and contact routes. Moreover, the source of infection can be cows that are sick with mastitis; then, when drinking contaminated milk, a pathological process can develop.

    How can you become infected with pneumonia caused by atypical flora?

    Atypical inflammation, as a nosological unit, combines in its concept cases of damage to the lower parts of the respiratory tract, which have an atypical pathogen and nature of the course. The routes and mechanisms of transmission of such microbes are varied, and it is important to know whether pneumonia is transmitted from a sick person to a healthy person.

    The entry point for chlamydia is the respiratory tract. The source of chlamydia from which the infection can be transmitted is a sick person or a carrier. Susceptibility to the microorganism is high at all ages. The transmission mechanism is airborne.

    Mycoplasmas are widespread in the environment. Damage to the respiratory tract most often occurs without complications, but has a protracted course. Transmitted from a sick person or carrier through airborne droplets.

    Legionella is an inhabitant of places with high humidity. The mechanism of infection is inhalation of an aerosol containing the pathogen. In modern conditions, the microbe is found in home and industrial climate control systems, humidifiers and inhalers.

    Is hospital-acquired infection contagious?

    Nosocomial or hospital-acquired pneumonia is transmitted by airborne and contact routes. The illness appears 2 days after admission to the hospital. Sources of infection include patients, medical personnel, and contaminated equipment (breathing apparatus, bronchoscopes).

    The causative agents of nosocomial infections can be:
    • Pseudomonas aeruginosa;
    • Klebsiella;
    • coli;
    • anaerobes;
    • fungi;
    • pneumocystis.

    The main contingent of people who quickly develop infectious lesions of the respiratory system, and, as a rule, it is bilateral pneumonia, is represented by oncological and hematological patients receiving immunosuppressive therapy, depleted and weakened patients with AIDS, and intravenous drug users.

    Bacteria carried by medical personnel are especially dangerous in terms of infection.

    Pneumonia is contagious. Based on the knowledge gained, we can say that there are many mechanisms and routes of infection through which infections are transmitted between people. The most characteristic of this disease is the aerogenic method of penetration of the microbe into the body. Knowing the routes of penetration and characteristics of pathogens, it is possible to develop preventive measures that will protect against the development of intrapulmonary damage.

    Quiz: How susceptible are you to lung disease?

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    Information

    Our immunity is directly dependent on our lifestyle and nutrition. Only a small part of it is initially genetic. Throughout life, a person acquires immune deficiency, which subsequently leads to various kinds of diseases, allergic reactions and poor health. By taking care of your diet, you will also take care of your immunity, which will subsequently save you from many health problems. This test will show you what to pay attention to in your current diet. What to add, what to reduce, and what should be abandoned completely.

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    Something needs to be changed urgently!

    Judging by your diet, you don’t care about your immune system or your body at all. Most likely, you get sick often, suffer from intestinal problems, and are haunted by a feeling of constant fatigue. It's time to love yourself and start improving. It is urgent to adjust your diet, to minimize fatty, starchy, sweet and alcoholic foods. Eat more vegetables and fruits, dairy products. Feed the body by taking vitamins, drink more water (precisely purified, mineral). Strengthen your body, reduce the amount of stress in your life, think more positively and the transition to a healthy diet will be much easier, you just need to start.

    Your immune system is in fairly good condition.

    So far, it’s good, but if you don’t start taking care of her more carefully, health problems may begin (if the prerequisites haven’t already existed). Namely, allergies, frequent colds, intestinal problems and other “charms” of life accompany weak immunity. You should think about your diet, minimize fatty, flour, sweets and alcohol. Eat more vegetables and fruits, dairy products. To nourish the body by taking vitamins, do not forget that you need to drink a lot of water (precisely purified, mineral water). Strengthen your body, reduce the amount of stress in your life, think more positively and your immune system will be strong for many years to come.

    Congratulations! Keep it up!

    You care about your nutrition, health and immune system. Continue in the same spirit and health problems will not bother you for many years to come. Don't forget that this is mainly due to the fact that you eat right. Eat proper and healthy food (fruits, vegetables, dairy products), do not forget to drink plenty of purified water, strengthen your body, think positively. Just love yourself and your body, take care of it and it will definitely reciprocate your feelings.

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    • I strive for this
    • No

    How often do you eat foods containing high amounts of sugar?

    • Daily
    • Few times a week
    • Once a month or less
    • I don't use it at all

    Do you carry out fasting days or any other cleansing procedures?

    • 1-2 times a week
    • Several times a month
    • Several times a month

    How many times a day do you eat?

    • Less than 3 times
    • Breakfast lunch and dinner
    • More than 3 times

    What type of people do you consider yourself to be?

    • Optimist
    • Realist
    • Pessimist

    How often do you eat baked goods and pasta made from light flour?

    • Daily
    • Few times a week
    • Several times a month or less

    Do you eat a varied diet?

    • Yes
    • No
    • I eat a variety of foods, but the same dishes for many years

    What products do you have for breakfast?

    • Porridge, yogurt
    • Coffee, sandwiches
    • Other

    What time do you have breakfast?

    • Before 7.00
    • 07.00-09.00
    • 09.00-11.00
    • Later 11.00

    Do you have food intolerances?

    • Yes
    • No

    Do you take vitamins?

    • Yes, regularly
    • Every season
    • Very rarely
    • I don't accept it at all

    How much pure water do you drink per day?

    • Less than 1.5 liters
    • 1.5-2.5 liters
    • 2.5-3.5 liters
    • More than 3.5 liters

    Have you ever had a food allergy?

    • Yes
    • No
    • I find it difficult to answer

    What portions do you eat?

    • While it fits
    • I'm still a little hungry
    • I eat up, but not to the point of being full

    Are you taking antibiotics?

    • Yes
    • No
    • In case of urgent need

    How often do you eat vegetables and fruits?

    • Daily
    • Few times a week
    • Very rarely

    What kind of water do you drink?

    • Mineral
    • Cleaned with household appliances with filters
    • Boiled
    • Raw

    How often do you consume fermented milk products?

    • Daily
    • Few times a week
    • Once a month or even less often

    Do you always eat at the same time?

    Source: http://pulmonologi.ru/pnevmoniya/zarazna-ili-net.html

    Pneumonia - contagious or not?

    Pneumonia is infectious in nature. At the everyday level, we know that infections are transmitted in one way or another: through the air - respiratory, through food - intestinal, through sexual intercourse - sexually transmitted.

    Moreover, there is a special vaccine against pneumonia, which only confirms the high degree of contagiousness of this disease. But on the other hand, any person has at least once been in contact with someone who has pneumonia.

    In hospitals, patients with pneumonia are in regular rooms with other patients. And no one gets infected. Why is this so if pneumonia is contagious? So is pneumonia contagious or not? And how can one become infected with pneumonia if the answer is yes? What is the most dangerous variety, how long must a patient be contagious before he can transmit the disease?

    Types of pneumonia and their danger?

    The contagiousness of pneumonia is largely determined by its type:

    1. Congestion occurs when blood stagnates in the lungs or bronchi. This type of pneumonia is not contagious.
    2. Atypical (community-acquired) is an infectious bacterial infection. It is possible to become infected with this disease, but often those around you do not develop pneumonia, but another disease provoked by a pathogen.
    3. Focal pneumonia - x-ray

    Focal – acute pneumonia with a focus in several parts or in one lung. It is easy to become infected and is dangerous if it is asymptomatic.

  • Basal. Children are most often infected. This variety has a fairly high degree of infectivity.
  • Chronic is a consequence of the advanced acute stage of this disease. Contagious.
  • Bronchopneumonia is caused by a variety of bacteria and viruses. You can only become infected with viruses and bacteria, which are considered to be the causative agents of this type of pneumonia, but the patient will not necessarily become infected with inflammation.
  • Sick leave is one of the most dangerous. The causative agents of the disease are often resistant to medications. This type of inflammation is contagious.
  • Caseous pneumonia is a dangerous type of pulmonary tuberculosis, characterized by rapid and transient development. A dangerous variant of pneumonia that is contagious to others.

    • How is pneumonia transmitted?

    Microorganisms that cause pneumonia in most cases are the causative agents of all respiratory infections:

    These bacteria are spread through close contact, through shared objects, and through the air.

    Bacteria that cause pneumonia are widespread in the environment. For example, streptococcus lives on the mucous membranes of the throat, mouth and nose in 99% of people. The body's defense mechanisms do not allow the infection to enter the lower respiratory tract.

    Thus, the state of the body's immune system is a key factor in the possible transmission of microorganisms that cause pneumonia.

    At-risk groups

    You can easily get sick with contagious forms of pneumonia:

    • People with reduced immunity;
    • Pregnant women;
    • Patients taking hormones;
    • Persons with drug or alcohol addiction;
    • People suffering from depression, exhausted;
    • Those who have had acute respiratory infections, acute respiratory viral infections, influenza and other colds;
    • Patients with chronic diseases: diabetes, kidney or heart failure, asthma, etc.

    Is it possible to get infected from another person?

    It is quite possible to become infected with pneumonia from family members. This is how the infection is usually transmitted in children.

    Of course, the causative agent of the disease is often transmitted in crowded places, in public transport, by airborne droplets. More often, infection occurs from friends and relatives who are sick or are carriers of pneumonia pathogens.

    The easiest way to get infected is from loved ones. During the incubation period, when clinical symptoms do not appear, no one is aware of the threat of infection to others.

    When adults and children develop fever, cough, and runny nose, it becomes too late to isolate the source of the disease, since the bacteria are in the airspace of a private house or city apartment.

    Is it possible to get infected from others?

    The average person can observe at the everyday level the development of respiratory symptoms - fever, intoxication, cough, runny nose - after contact with a person with a cold.

    Progressing over several days, the symptoms can become severe, which forces you to call an ambulance and can lead to a diagnosis of pneumonia.

    According to everyday logic, the relationship between subsequent pneumonia and contact with someone who has a common cold is obvious. However, in fact, other factors play a leading role in pneumonia.

    Adhering exactly to the terminology, a healthy person cannot contract pneumonia from a sick person.

    Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lungs caused by bacteria. In very rare cases, such as when a person has an immunodeficiency, the cause of the disease may be a fungal infection.

    To get into the lungs, bacteria must overcome almost insurmountable obstacles:

    • The nasopharynx has a curved structure, due to which, during inhalation, air micro-turbulences are observed there, which lead to the settling of dust particles and microorganisms on the nasal mucosa.
    • The mucous membrane of the nasal cavity, trachea, larynx and bronchi is covered with ciliated epithelium and is rich in secretory glands - such a device isolates and then removes microorganisms that have entered the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract.
    • Even if pathogenic bacteria managed to overcome these barriers, immunity stands in their way - lymphoid tissue is well represented in the structure of the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract.

    Nature has formed the respiratory organs so that the lungs are maximally protected from microorganisms.

    However, it must be remembered that a person with pneumonia releases tens of thousands of pathogenic microorganisms into the air when they cough. And if a person nearby has reduced protective functions, he can become infected, for example, with rhinitis, pharyngitis, and sore throat.

    Is it possible to infect other children?

    The child’s immune system is at the stage of intense “training”, and the number of the main immune cells - lymphocytes - in children is maximum, as a result of which the immune response to bacteria is sharp and violent. In a child, a respiratory infection manifests itself with severe symptoms.

    On the other hand, children have an anatomical feature: a short length of the respiratory tract, which makes them more vulnerable to infections. Much is determined by the concentration and virulence of microbes. However, often microbes successfully spread through the respiratory tract, managing to settle in the lower sections, even despite a strong immune response.

    In a child, pneumonia can appear against the background of a respiratory infection of any localization, and this infection plays a key role in the disease process:

    1. Once in the respiratory tract, the respiratory virus has an immunosuppressive effect, that is, it suppresses the immune response.
    2. Bacteria from the environment, taking advantage of the opportunity, spread throughout the respiratory tract, causing illness, including pneumonia.

    Thus, pneumonia in a child is almost always a complication of a viral infection, and contact with a sick person does not necessarily lead to infection.

    How to avoid getting pneumonia?

    To avoid contracting pneumonia, the following preventive procedures will help:

    • Ventilate the room and avoid contact with sick people.
    • If you have a flu, cold or pneumonia in your loved ones, you should take preventive medications – amantadine, rimantadine;
    • Strengthen the immune system using ginseng tincture or immunal;

    The protective capabilities of the immune system are reduced in people who consume drugs, alcohol, and smoke. Inflammation is provoked by both bacterial and viral agents.

    If you follow preventive measures, you can significantly reduce the risk or even prevent pneumonia.

    Source: http://pnevmonii.net/pnevmoniya/pnevmoniya-zarazna-ili-net