Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsViralBacterialWalkingFungalAspiration and Chemical
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Viral
Bacterial
Walking
Fungal
Aspiration and Chemical
Pneumoniais a type of lung infection that causes the air sacs in the lungs to fill with liquid.
When people discuss types of pneumonia, they also consider how severe the infection is. For example, walking pneumonia is a nonmedical term that’s used to refer to a mild case of pneumonia where the person can still be up and walking around.
Phynart Studio / Getty Images
Symptoms of Pneumonia
Viral infections are one of the most common types of pneumonia. About 27% of patients with pneumonia have an identifiable viral cause.Viruses that affect the airway can cause inflammation in the lungs and lead to pneumonia.
Causes
The most common viruses associated with viral pneumonia are:
If you have one of these viral infections, you won’t develop pneumonia in most cases. However, if you begin experiencingsymptoms of pneumonia, like shortness of breath or a gray or blue tinge to the skin, you should contact your healthcare provider.
Treatment
Viral pneumonia infections are generally mild, and most people recover without medical intervention within two to three weeks.
If you have viral pneumonia you should get plenty of sleep and fluids.Antibiotics will not work against viral pneumonia, although in some cases your healthcare provider may prescribe anantiviral medicationlikeTamiflu(oseltamivir),Relenza(zanamivir), or Rapivab (peramivir).
Having viral pneumonia can increase your risk of developing bacterial pneumonia, which is often more severe.
Bacterial infection can also lead to pneumonia. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that 14% of pneumonia patients had an identifiable bacterial cause.Bacterial pneumonia can develop on its own, or after a person has had viral pneumonia.
Thecommon causesof bacterial pneumonia include:
Understanding White Lung Pneumonia: A Diagnostic Finding
Bacterial pneumonia can betreatedwith antibiotics such as Zithromax (azithromycin), Biaxin (clarithromycin), or Erythrocin (erythromycin).It is important to take your medication as prescribed, and let your healthcare provider know if your symptoms change.
Complications
Bacterial pneumonia can be serious and lead to complications includingbacteremia, a bacteria blood infection also known as septic shock. Bacterial infections can progress quickly, so don’t hesitate to seek help if your symptoms worsen.
What Is Bronchopneumonia?
Walking pneumonia is a type of bacterial infection also known as mycoplasma pneumonia. This type of pneumonia is mild, and you can usually continue your daily activities when you have it, hence the name walking pneumonia. Walking pneumonia is often spread in crowded living spaces, like dormitories or jails.
Walking Pneumonia vs. Pneumonia: What Are the Differences?
Symptoms
The most common symptom of walking pneumonia in adults is a persistent, dry cough. The cough often continues to get worse, eventually becoming a productive cough that brings up mucus. Kids often present with a fever or sluggishness before developing a cough that gets worse at night.
Most of the symptoms of walking pneumonia, including fever and body aches, begin to resolve within five days. However, the cough from walking pneumonia can last for a month or more.
If you suspect you have walking pneumonia you should see your healthcare provider, who may be able to prescribe an antibiotic to help you recover more quickly.
Fungal pneumonia is caused when fungi that are present in the environment enter and begin growing in the lungs. This happens most commonly in people who have a suppressed immune system or other chronic health conditions.
The mostcommon causesof fungal pneumonia are:
Fungal pneumonia is often serious, especially since people most susceptible have other health concerns. Antifungal medications can help treat fungal pneumonia.
How Fungal Infections in the Lungs Mimic Cancer
Aspiration pneumoniahappens when a person aspirates, or breaths a foreign substance into their lungs. This happens most often with food or drink. When a person swallows, a small amount of food or drink can go down the “wrong pipe,” into the lungs rather than the stomach.
This can happen without a person noticing, particularly in the elderly, people under anesthesia, or those with other health conditions.
When a person aspirates food or drink, bacteria can be introduced into the lungs. This can lead to the development of bacterial pneumonia.
In other cases, a person might breath in chemicals that damage the lungs. This can lead to chemical pneumonitis, an inflammation of the lungs that can progress into pneumonia. Common household chemicals like chlorine, fertilizer, and smoke can all cause chemical pneumonitis, as can stomach acid that is breathed into the lungs.
The treatment for aspiration or chemical pneumonia will depend on what substance you inhaled, and whether it is able to be removed from the lungs.
Chemical pneumonitis can lead to chronic lung problems. If you believe you have inhaled chemicals, it’s best to seek medical treatment.
A Word From Verywell
Pneumonia is a common health condition, but one that can be very serious. It is a leading cause of hospitalization and death among U.S. adults, with 1.3 million Americans diagnosed with pneumonia in a hospital each year.
Once you know about the different types of pneumonia and their causes, you can take steps to reduce yourrisk of pneumonia. These should include:
There’s no way to entirely protect yourself against pneumonia, but understanding the condition can better equip you to face it.
Is Pneumonia Contagious?
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.MedlinePlus.Pneumonia.American Lung Association.What is walking pneumonia?Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.New CDC study highlights burden of pneumonia hospitalizations among US adults.American Lung Association.How is pneumonia treated?MedlinePlus.Chemical pneumonitis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Pneumonia.
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.MedlinePlus.Pneumonia.American Lung Association.What is walking pneumonia?Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.New CDC study highlights burden of pneumonia hospitalizations among US adults.American Lung Association.How is pneumonia treated?MedlinePlus.Chemical pneumonitis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Pneumonia.
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.
MedlinePlus.Pneumonia.American Lung Association.What is walking pneumonia?Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.New CDC study highlights burden of pneumonia hospitalizations among US adults.American Lung Association.How is pneumonia treated?MedlinePlus.Chemical pneumonitis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Pneumonia.
MedlinePlus.Pneumonia.
American Lung Association.What is walking pneumonia?
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.New CDC study highlights burden of pneumonia hospitalizations among US adults.
American Lung Association.How is pneumonia treated?
MedlinePlus.Chemical pneumonitis.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Pneumonia.
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
