Contagious pneumonia can affect one or both lungs and causeinflammation(swelling) that can lead to serious complications, especially incertain individuals, like those under age 5 or over age 50.
Verywell / Theresa Chiechi
Types of Pneumonia: Contagious or Not?
Some causes of pneumonia are contagious while others are not. For those that are, it is important to keep in mind that not everyone who is exposed will also go on to develop pneumonia. Some may only develop a minor illness such as the common cold.
Your illness may have developed into a type of pneumonia if you have the following symptoms:
Here’s what to know about the different types of pneumonia and what causes them:
Viral Pneumonia
Viral pneumonia is a potential complication of a virus. Some of the viruses that can lead to pneumonia include:
Viral pneumonia is spread when an infected person sneezes, coughs, or leaves germs on a doorknob or other surface.
Viral pneumonia makes up about one-third of all pneumonia diagnoses each year.Once symptoms (such as fever) subside, contagiousness usually decreases, but it may not go to zero.
Bacterial Pneumonia
One of the most common strains known for causing bacterial pneumonia is calledStreptococcus pneumoniae, or pneumococcus. This type of pneumonia can spread to another person before the first person starts showing symptoms, in fact. These bacteria can affect anywhere from a small portion of one lung to widespread areas in both lungs.
Along with pneumonia, this bacterium can cause:
Bacterial pneumonia is typically contagious for around 48 hours after you’ve started antibiotics.Certain bacterial strains, however—such as the mycobacterium that causes tuberculosis—may remain contagious for several weeks after starting treatment.
Walking Pneumonia
Walking pneumoniais a type of bacterial pneumonia. It mostly comes from the bacteria namedMycoplasma pneumonia, but there are other causes. It is called walking pneumonia because, in some cases, symptoms can be mild enough that a person can still go about their normal day-to-day activities.
Walking pneumonia is most common in those less than 40 years of age who live and work in crowded quarters. Being in close quarters is one reason it’s so easy for school children to catch walking pneumonia.
The incubation period is generally between one to four weeks. Someone with walking pneumonia can be contagious for a couple of weeks, even after starting treatment.
While the symptoms may vary from person to person, typically those with walking pneumonia will have:
Fungal Pneumonia
You can get fungal pneumonia from breathing in fungal spores that are often found in soil and, occasionally, bird droppings.While these fungal spores may cause pneumonia quickly, in some people, the illness lies dormant for months, years, or even decades. Yet others will get sick reasonably quickly.
A typical example of fungal pneumonia that can remain dormant isValley fever.Many residents in the southwestern United States will be exposed to the fungal spores that cause Valley Fever at some point. Some people are exposed and never get sick.
Fungal forms of pneumonia are usually not contagious and mostly (but not always) affect people withcompromised immune systems.
Aspiration Pneumonia
Groups at RiskPneumonia can be acquired at any age, but the following groups are most likely to experience severe cases:Children less than 2 years oldAdults more than 50 years oldPeople who are immunocompromisedThose who suffer from heart and lung conditions, including asthmaPeople who smokePeople with diabetes
Groups at Risk
Pneumonia can be acquired at any age, but the following groups are most likely to experience severe cases:Children less than 2 years oldAdults more than 50 years oldPeople who are immunocompromisedThose who suffer from heart and lung conditions, including asthmaPeople who smokePeople with diabetes
Pneumonia can be acquired at any age, but the following groups are most likely to experience severe cases:
How to Avoid Getting Infectious Pneumonia
In addition to taking steps to stop the spread of the illness once you’re infected, there are things you can do toprevent yourself from getting pneumoniain the first place. These recommendations are similar to the techniques you might use toavoid getting the flu.
Cover Your Mouth and Nose
While the preferred method for covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze is into a tissue, not everyone can get to tissues in time when the urge to cough or sneeze hits. If you have the urge to cough or sneeze (and a tissue isn’t available), the next best thing is to cover your mouth or nose with the inside of your elbow.
Coughing or sneezing into your elbow will decrease the chances that mucus, saliva, or infected traces of your infection are left on door handles, faucets, or anything else you touch.
Wash Your Hands
Regardless of whether you’re sick or healthy,washing your handswith soap and water is often good for your health. When you’re ill and wash your hands, you’re reducing the number of germs you can spread. When you’re healthy and washing your hands, you reduce the chance of introducing dangerous germs to your body.
Limit Contact With Others
If you are ill orrecovering from pneumonia, limit your contact with others. If you’re healthy, avoid being near people infected with pneumonia.
As we learned during the COVID-19 pandemic—which can cause viral pneumonia—staying at least six feet away from others reduces the amount of viral or bacterial content you’re exposed to as you breathe or talk.
Get Vaccinated
Four pneumonia vaccines are currently available in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that children younger than 2 years, adults older than 50, and anyone of any age who is immunocompromised or struggles with certain chronic health conditions receive one of these vaccines.
There are two types of pneumococcal vaccines available:
CDC’s Pneumococcal Vaccine RecommendationsPneumonia vaccinesPCV15(Vaxneuvance),PCV20(Prevnar 20), andPCV21(Capvaxive) protect against 15, 20, and 21 types of bacterial pneumonia, respectively. Getting one of these pneumonia vaccines is recommended for:Children younger than 2 years old—as a four-part series (PCV15 or PCV20). They should receive this vaccine at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, and 12–15 months old.Children ages 2 to 18 years with certain medical conditionsAdults 50 years or older whose vaccination history is unknown or who are unvaccinatedAdults ages 19 to 64 years with certain risk factors or medical conditionsPPSV23(Pneumovax23), which is effective against 23 types of bacterial pneumonia, is recommended for:Children ages 2 to 18 years with certain medical conditionsAdults 19 years and older who received PCV15 or PCV13.Adults age 19 to 64 years with certain risk factors or medical conditionsAdults ages 19 to 64 who previously received only PCV13 vaccination should get a PCV20, PCV21, or PPSV23 dose.
CDC’s Pneumococcal Vaccine Recommendations
Pneumonia vaccinesPCV15(Vaxneuvance),PCV20(Prevnar 20), andPCV21(Capvaxive) protect against 15, 20, and 21 types of bacterial pneumonia, respectively. Getting one of these pneumonia vaccines is recommended for:Children younger than 2 years old—as a four-part series (PCV15 or PCV20). They should receive this vaccine at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, and 12–15 months old.Children ages 2 to 18 years with certain medical conditionsAdults 50 years or older whose vaccination history is unknown or who are unvaccinatedAdults ages 19 to 64 years with certain risk factors or medical conditionsPPSV23(Pneumovax23), which is effective against 23 types of bacterial pneumonia, is recommended for:Children ages 2 to 18 years with certain medical conditionsAdults 19 years and older who received PCV15 or PCV13.Adults age 19 to 64 years with certain risk factors or medical conditionsAdults ages 19 to 64 who previously received only PCV13 vaccination should get a PCV20, PCV21, or PPSV23 dose.
Pneumonia vaccinesPCV15(Vaxneuvance),PCV20(Prevnar 20), andPCV21(Capvaxive) protect against 15, 20, and 21 types of bacterial pneumonia, respectively. Getting one of these pneumonia vaccines is recommended for:
PPSV23(Pneumovax23), which is effective against 23 types of bacterial pneumonia, is recommended for:
How Long Does Pneumonia Last?
The time it takes to recover from pneumonia varies from person to person. Some people recover quickly and can return to their regular routine after one to two weeks. Others may have symptoms that linger for a month or longer.
It is normal to experience some fatigue for a month even after the rest of your symptoms have gone away.
Some people are more likely to experiencecomplicationsfrom pneumonia, such as respiratory failure or sepsis. These include:
Summary
There are several types of pneumonia—viral, bacterial, walking, fungal, and aspiration pneumonia—but usually only viral, bacterial, and walking forms are contagious.
While pneumonia is often easily treatable with at-home care, in certain situations, a delay in seeking professional help can cause serious complications or even be fatal.
12 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Lung Association.What causes pneumonia?Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Risk factors for pneumonia.MedlinePlus.Pneumonia.Yale Medicine.Pneumonia.American Lung Association.Pneumonia symptoms and diagnosis.University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Western Maryland.Is pneumonia contagious?Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Mycoplasma pneumoniaeinfections.National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Valley fever.Merck Manual.Aspiration pneumonitis and pneumonia.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Pneumococcal Vaccine Recommendations.NIH.Pneumonia Recovery.American Lung Association.Pneumonia treatment and recovery.
12 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Lung Association.What causes pneumonia?Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Risk factors for pneumonia.MedlinePlus.Pneumonia.Yale Medicine.Pneumonia.American Lung Association.Pneumonia symptoms and diagnosis.University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Western Maryland.Is pneumonia contagious?Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Mycoplasma pneumoniaeinfections.National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Valley fever.Merck Manual.Aspiration pneumonitis and pneumonia.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Pneumococcal Vaccine Recommendations.NIH.Pneumonia Recovery.American Lung Association.Pneumonia treatment and recovery.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Lung Association.What causes pneumonia?Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Risk factors for pneumonia.MedlinePlus.Pneumonia.Yale Medicine.Pneumonia.American Lung Association.Pneumonia symptoms and diagnosis.University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Western Maryland.Is pneumonia contagious?Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Mycoplasma pneumoniaeinfections.National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Valley fever.Merck Manual.Aspiration pneumonitis and pneumonia.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Pneumococcal Vaccine Recommendations.NIH.Pneumonia Recovery.American Lung Association.Pneumonia treatment and recovery.
American Lung Association.What causes pneumonia?
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Risk factors for pneumonia.
MedlinePlus.Pneumonia.
Yale Medicine.Pneumonia.
American Lung Association.Pneumonia symptoms and diagnosis.
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Western Maryland.Is pneumonia contagious?
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Mycoplasma pneumoniaeinfections.
National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Valley fever.
Merck Manual.Aspiration pneumonitis and pneumonia.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Pneumococcal Vaccine Recommendations.
NIH.Pneumonia Recovery.
American Lung Association.Pneumonia treatment and recovery.
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