What is pneumonia and what are the main causes of pneumonia?

Introduction Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lungs usually caused by infection with bacteria or viruses. Pneumonia can make it difficult to breathe because the lungs work harder to be able to get enough oxygen in the blood.
People with pneumonia usually cough, fever, lament, shortness of breath and chest pain.
body’s immune system usually keeps bacteria from infecting the lungs. In bacterial pneumonia, bacteria reproduce in the lungs, while your body tries to fight infection. This reaction to bacterial invaders is called inflammation.
When inflammation occurs in the alveoli (microscopic air sacs in the lungs), fill with liquid. Your lungs are less elastic and can not oxygen in the blood and removing carbon dioxide in the blood as effectively as usual. When the cells do not function effectively, you need your lungs work harder to meet the needs of your body for oxygen. This causes a feeling of breathlessness, which is one of the most common symptoms of pneumonia. The inflammation causes many other symptoms such as fever and pain in the chest.
What are the main types of pneumonia?
Pneumonia is often in two major categories (“community-acquired pneumonia” and shared “nosocomial pneumonia”) depending on whether you were infected while living at home (in the Community) or during the hospital stay .
What are the main causes of pneumonia?
There are about 30 different causes of pneumonia. But they all fall into one of these categories:
infectious pneumonia: Inflammation and infection of the lungs and bronchi, when a bacteria (bacterial pneumonia) or virus (viral pneumonia) in the lungs and begins to reproduce occurs.
Aspiration pneumonia: Inflammation of the lungs and bronchial tubes caused by inhaling vomit, mucus or other bodily fluids causes. Aspiration pneumonia can be caused by the inhalation of certain chemicals.
White blood cells (leukocytes), an important part of the immune system to begin to attack invading organisms. Pathogens storage, white cells and immune system proteins lead to ignite the air bags and filled with fluid, causing respiratory distress that characterizes many types of pneumonia. If both lungs are involved, is called double pneumonia.
Viruses, bacteria, or (in rare cases) parasites or other organisms cause pneumonia.
In most cases, the specific organism (such as bacteria or viruses) not even be detected by the test. If a body is identified, it is usually the bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae.
Other bacteria that can cause pneumonia, Haemophilus influenzae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydophila pneumoniae, Legionella pneumophila (the bacteria, Legionnaire’s disease), Staphylococcus aureus, Moraxella catarrhalis, Streptococcus pyogenes, Neisseria meningitidis, or Klebsiella pneumoniae. Mycoplasma pneumoniae is sometimes called soft and walking pneumonia.
Some other reasons cause inflammation of the lung:
Viral infections
Bacterial infection:
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Staphylococcus aureus
Chlamydia pneumoniae
Mycoplasma pneumoniae
Pneumocystis carinii
Toxoplasma gondii
Fungal
Lung cancer can cause recurrent pneumonia
AIDS can cause recurrent pneumonia
Plague
Bronchiectasis
Haemophilus influenza
Mycoplasma pneumoniae
Staphylococcus aureus
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Pneumocystis carinii
AFB
Candida

Filed Under: Health and Ill