Silent Pneumonia: What to Watch for When There's No Fever

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsPneumonia Without FeverSymptomsComplicationsDiagnosisTreatmentPrognosis

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Pneumonia Without Fever

Symptoms

Complications

Diagnosis

Treatment

Prognosis

Several factors predispose people to develop pneumonia without fever: being very young (under age 2), being older than 65, or having a compromised immune system.It can also occur in cases of a milder form of the disease, called “walking pneumonia.”

Varying a great deal in terms of severity, pneumonia causes breathing difficulties, congestion, the production of mucus, and many other symptoms. The absence of fever in pneumonia does not necessarily indicate the infection is not severe or shouldn’t be taken seriously, which is why it’s important to understand this rare aspect of the condition.

Fever is not a disease in itself; rather, it’s a physiological response to illness. In fever, basically, the body raises its own temperature to help kill pathogens and fight infection.As such, pneumonia without fever tends to represent a reduced immune response. Immunity tends to be weaker in certain groups of the population, including:

Further, a range of other conditions can impact immunity, including:

Pneumonia without fever is also more likely in those with heart or lung conditions, including:

What’s important to remember about pneumonia without fever is that it still has the potential to be dangerous. In fact, it often arises precisely because the patient is already sick or more susceptible to illness in general. Symptoms range in intensity—from being mild to very severe. Be mindful of how you’re feeling, and don’t be afraid to call for help if symptoms worsen.

Symptoms of Pneumonia

What makes pneumonia sometimes difficult to treat is that it has some of the same symptoms as thecommon coldorinfluenza(the flu). The signs of pneumonia typically include:

The severity of symptoms depends on a person’s health status; pneumonia is much tougher to manage and presents with more severe symptoms in those who are immunocompromised or have underlying lung conditions.

While most cases of pneumonia can be effectively managed, if the disease is allowed to progress, it can be particularly dangerous. What can happen? Here’s a quick breakdown:

When to Call Your Healthcare Provider or 911It’s important to be vigilant about how you feel if you suspect you have pneumonia or have been diagnosed with it. Let your healthcare provider know if you experience:Chronic shortness of breath or breathing difficultiesPersistent fever with heavy mucus productionUnusually severe fatigueIn some cases, pneumonia can become dangerous and even lead to a medical emergency. Call 911 when you have:Shortness of breath or breathing difficulties even at restChest pain and discomfort that gets worseConfusion or cognitive difficulties

When to Call Your Healthcare Provider or 911

It’s important to be vigilant about how you feel if you suspect you have pneumonia or have been diagnosed with it. Let your healthcare provider know if you experience:Chronic shortness of breath or breathing difficultiesPersistent fever with heavy mucus productionUnusually severe fatigueIn some cases, pneumonia can become dangerous and even lead to a medical emergency. Call 911 when you have:Shortness of breath or breathing difficulties even at restChest pain and discomfort that gets worseConfusion or cognitive difficulties

It’s important to be vigilant about how you feel if you suspect you have pneumonia or have been diagnosed with it. Let your healthcare provider know if you experience:

In some cases, pneumonia can become dangerous and even lead to a medical emergency. Call 911 when you have:

Because pneumonia causes symptoms similar to other diseases, proper diagnosis is often a two-stage process. Healthcare providers need to ascertain the cause of the condition and test whether it’s bacterial, viral, or fungal in origin.

A diagnosis may involve the following:

In more advanced or severe cases—especially those involving people with compromised immunity—additional testing may be indicated, including:

Generally speaking, the success of recovery from pneumonia, with or without fever, depends on your health status. Most otherwise-healthy adults see relatively quick relief from symptoms with treatment. That said, if pneumonia is allowed to progress, or if you’re in a vulnerable or immunocompromised population, the disease can be deadly.

In rare cases, there are long-term effects, even after complete recovery. Children who’ve had pneumonia may develop lifelong breathing difficulties, for instance. Chronic effects can cause:

6 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.Cleveland Clinic.Pneumonia: symptoms, treatment, causes & prevention.Evans S, Repasky E, Fisher D.Fever and the thermal regulation of immunity: the immune system feels the heat.Nat Rev Immunol. 2015;15(6):335-349. doi:10.1038/nri3843MedlinePlus.Pneumonia: also called ‘bronchopneumonia’.Cleveland Clinic.Atypical (walking) pneumonia: treatment & management.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Pneumonia.Limper A, Knox K, Sarosi G et al.An official American Thoracic Society statement: treatment of fungal infections in adult pulmonary and critical care patients.Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2011;183(1):96-128. doi:10.1164/rccm.2008-740st

6 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.Cleveland Clinic.Pneumonia: symptoms, treatment, causes & prevention.Evans S, Repasky E, Fisher D.Fever and the thermal regulation of immunity: the immune system feels the heat.Nat Rev Immunol. 2015;15(6):335-349. doi:10.1038/nri3843MedlinePlus.Pneumonia: also called ‘bronchopneumonia’.Cleveland Clinic.Atypical (walking) pneumonia: treatment & management.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Pneumonia.Limper A, Knox K, Sarosi G et al.An official American Thoracic Society statement: treatment of fungal infections in adult pulmonary and critical care patients.Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2011;183(1):96-128. doi:10.1164/rccm.2008-740st

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.

Cleveland Clinic.Pneumonia: symptoms, treatment, causes & prevention.Evans S, Repasky E, Fisher D.Fever and the thermal regulation of immunity: the immune system feels the heat.Nat Rev Immunol. 2015;15(6):335-349. doi:10.1038/nri3843MedlinePlus.Pneumonia: also called ‘bronchopneumonia’.Cleveland Clinic.Atypical (walking) pneumonia: treatment & management.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Pneumonia.Limper A, Knox K, Sarosi G et al.An official American Thoracic Society statement: treatment of fungal infections in adult pulmonary and critical care patients.Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2011;183(1):96-128. doi:10.1164/rccm.2008-740st

Cleveland Clinic.Pneumonia: symptoms, treatment, causes & prevention.

Evans S, Repasky E, Fisher D.Fever and the thermal regulation of immunity: the immune system feels the heat.Nat Rev Immunol. 2015;15(6):335-349. doi:10.1038/nri3843

MedlinePlus.Pneumonia: also called ‘bronchopneumonia’.

Cleveland Clinic.Atypical (walking) pneumonia: treatment & management.

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Pneumonia.

Limper A, Knox K, Sarosi G et al.An official American Thoracic Society statement: treatment of fungal infections in adult pulmonary and critical care patients.Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2011;183(1):96-128. doi:10.1164/rccm.2008-740st

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