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What are 3 ways to prevent pneumonia?
The Best Defense is Prevention: 5 Steps to Help Prevent PneumoniaGet a flu shot. Flu is a common cause of pneumonia, so one of the best defenses against contracting pneumonia is to get a flu shot each year.If you are high risk, get vaccinated. ... Wash your hands. ... Don't smoke. ... Maintain good health habits.
How can community-acquired pneumonia be prevented in children?
Routine childhood immunization with the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine significantly reduces the incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease in children. CAP = community-acquired pneumonia.
What is the prevention of pneumonia disease?
Good hygiene (washing your hands often), quitting smoking, and keeping your immune system strong by getting regular physical activity and eating healthy are other ways to lower your risk of getting pneumonia.
What is the main avoidable risk factor for community-acquired pneumonia?
These data suggest that cigarette smoking is the major avoidable risk factor for acute pneumonia in adults.
How can community acquired infection be prevented?
Train all workers on CAI-control best practices, including the proper sterilization techniques for locations and equipment, effective sanitation practices, and consistent use of preventative measures such as masks, gowns, and gloves.
How can I prevent pneumonia immediately?
Drink warm beverages, take steamy baths and use a humidifier to help open your airways and ease your breathing. Contact your doctor right away if your breathing gets worse instead of better over time. Stay away from smoke to let your lungs heal. This includes smoking, secondhand smoke and wood smoke.
Can pneumonia be preventable?
Pneumonia can often be prevented and can usually be treated. Lower your risk of pneumonia with vaccines and other healthy living practices. Most of the people affected by pneumonia in the United States are adults. CDC data show more than 47,000 people died from pneumonia in the United States during 2020.
What are the 5 main causes of pneumonia?
But sometimes these germs can overpower your immune system, even if your health is generally good. Pneumonia is classified according to the types of germs that cause it and where you got the infection....Community-acquired pneumoniaBacteria. ... Bacteria-like organisms. ... Fungi. ... Viruses, including COVID-19 .
What bacteria causes community acquired pneumonia?
Common causes — Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) and respiratory viruses are the most frequently detected pathogens in patients with CAP [8,16].
What is the best treatment for community-acquired pneumonia?
Outpatient Setting: Recommended empirical treatment for CAP in the outpatient setting is given in TABLE 2. For patients without comorbid conditions or risk factors for drug-resistant pathogens, monotherapy with amoxicillin, doxycycline, or a macrolide (azithromycin or clarithromycin) is recommended.
What is the most common cause of community-acquired acute pneumonia?
The flu (influenza) virus is the major viral cause of CAP. Having the flu also makes you more likely to get bacterial pneumonia. This type is often worse than viral pneumonia. Other types of viruses can also cause CAP, such as parainfluenza virus, echovirus, adenovirus, and coxsackievirus.
What is the difference between pneumonia and community-acquired pneumonia?
Community-acquired pneumonia is defined as pneumonia that is acquired outside the hospital. The most commonly identified pathogens are Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, atypical bacteria (ie, Chlamydia pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Legionella species), and viruses.
What causes community-acquired pneumonia in children?
Viruses are the most common cause of pneumonia in infants and children. Ways your child can get CAP include: Bacteria and viruses living in the nose, sinuses, or mouth may spread to the lungs. Your child may breathe some of these germs directly into the lungs.
What is community-acquired pneumonia in pediatrics?
Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is defined as an acute infection of the pulmonary parenchyma in a patient who has acquired the infection in the community, as distinguished from hospital-acquired (nosocomial) pneumonia. CAP is a common and potentially serious illness with considerable morbidity.
What is the management of pneumonia in children?
The vast majority of children diagnosed with pneumonia in the outpatient setting are treated with oral antibiotics. High-dose amoxicillin is used as a first-line agent for children with uncomplicated community-acquired pneumonia, which provides coverage for Streptococcus pneumoniae.
What Is Community-Acquired Pneumonia (CAP)?
CAP is a lung infection that you get outside of a hospital or nursing home setting. Your lungs become inflamed and cannot work well. CAP may be cau...
What Increases My Risk For Cap?
1. Chronic lung disease 2. Cigarette smoking 3. Brain disorders such as stroke, dementia, and cerebral palsy 4. Weakened immune system 5. Recent su...
What Are The Signs and Symptoms of Cap?
1. Cough that may bring up green, yellow, or bloody mucus 2. Fever, chills, or severe shaking 3. Shortness of breath 4. Breathing and heartbeat tha...
What Can I Do to Manage Cap?
1. Do not smoke or allow others to smoke around you. Nicotine and other chemicals in cigarettes and cigars can cause lung damage. Ask your healthca...
When Should I Seek Immediate Care?
1. You are confused and cannot think clearly. 2. You have increased trouble breathing. 3. Your lips or fingernails turn gray or blue.
When Should I Contact My Healthcare Provider?
1. Your symptoms do not get better, or get worse. 2. You are urinating less, or not at all. 3. You have questions or concerns about your condition...
What causes community-acquired pneumonia?
- Pneumonia has many causes. Research from 2017 references 26 common causes of CAP, main…
The most common causes of CAP in the United States are: - •human rhinovirus (common cold)
•influenza virus (flu)
Who is at risk of community-acquired pneumonia?
- CAP and its complications are most likely to affect:
•adults older than age 65 - •people with existing health conditions
•people with a weakened immune system
What are the symptoms of community-acquired pneumonia?
- Pneumonia is a serious, sometimes fatal disease. The main symptoms of CAP include:
•cough - •production of sputum
•fever
How do doctors diagnose community-acquired pneumonia?
- If a doctor notices you have symptoms of CAP, they will likely perform or order the following:
•Medical history: A doctor will ask about your medical history to better understand how you may have become ill. - •Physical exam: A doctor will perform a physical exam to check for fever and lung sounds consi…
•Chest X-ray: A chest X-ray can show any fluid buildup or inflammation in the lungs.
What is the treatment for community-acquired pneumonia?
- If you have CAP, your treatment plan will depend on your symptoms and the specific cause of yo…
According to 2017 research, 80% of people in the United States can treat CAP at home. If your doctor determines you have a milder case of CAP from bacteria, they may prescribe antibiotics for you to take at home. A doctor will likely prescribe one of the following: - •amoxicillin
•azithromycin
What are the potential complications of community-acquired pneumonia?
- With CAP comes the risk of possible complications. These are more likely if doctors don’t make …
Possible complications include: - •Pleural effusion: Pleural effusion is the buildup of fluid in your pleura, the space between your lu…
•Empyema: Empyema is the buildup of pus in the pleural space.
What is the outlook for people with community-acquired pneumonia?
- With rapid and appropriate treatment, many people fully recover from CAP without complication…
If CAP is due to bacteria, you may start to feel better within 5 to 7 days of starting antibiotics. Still, it can take months for all your symptoms to resolve. - If you have a mild case of CAP, full recovery is possible with rest, antibiotics or antivirals, and sle…
More severe cases of CAP may require lengthy hospital stays to help keep you stable and aid recovery. For people admitted to intensive care, the death rate can be as high as 23%, according to 2021 research.
How can I prevent community-acquired pneumonia?
- Taking precautions against illness, such as getting an annual flu shot, can reduce your risk of CA…
People over 65 can also consider getting the pneumococcal vaccine to prevent CAP. This is especially important if you have other health conditions or if you smoke. - You may need a booster shot if you received your vaccine before age 65, or if you have a weake…
Other everyday actions you can do to help prevent disease include the following:
Takeaway
- Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is the most common type of pneumonia. The term refer…
While many people recover from CAP with rest and antibiotic or antiviral treatment, it can be especially serious for older adults and people with existing health conditions.
1. Get a pneumonia vaccine
- High-risk groups
High-risk groups include people with certain characteristics or conditions that make them more vulnerable to developing pneumonia. While pneumonia vaccines are recommended for children and adults over age 65, they’re also strongly suggested for people aged 19 to 64 who have one o… - Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine
The pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) protects against 13 kinds of bacteria that cause serious infections in children and adults. PCV13 is part of the standard vaccination protocol for babies and is administered by a pediatrician. In babies, it’s given as a three- or four-dose series, …
2. Wash your hands
- Although pneumonia itself isn’t contagious, it can be caused by a variety of infectious organism…
When washing your hands, be sure to clean them thoroughly using the following steps: - •Wet your hands with clean — preferably running — water.
•Apply enough soap to cover all surfaces of your hands and wrists.
3. Avoid exposure to people who are ill
- Most respiratory infections are spread through tiny particles in the air or on the surfaces we touc…
If you’re in a crowded area or can’t avoid being near people who are sick, be sure to: - •wash your hands frequently
•cover your mouth and nose with a mask to prevent flu, cold, and COVID-19
4. Adopt healthy habits
- How you care for your body and the environment around you plays a big role in your body’s abilit…
The following actions can help you strengthen your lungs and your immune system: - •getting enough rest
•eating a balanced diet
5. Keep a cold from turning into pneumonia
- If you already have a cold, talk with your doctor about proactive steps you can take to prevent it f…
Recommendations include: - •making sure to get enough rest while recovering from a cold or other illness
•drinking lots of fluids to help eliminate congestion
What happens if I get pneumonia?
- How your pneumonia is treated will depend on what type you have and how severe your pneumo…
If your pneumonia was caused by a bacterial infection, or fluids that collect after aspiration become infected, antibiotics may be prescribed to you. Fungal pneumonias can also be treated with antifungal medications. - When your pneumonia is caused by a virus, antibiotics and antifungals won’t help. For some viru…
Severe cases of pneumonia — regardless of what caused it — may require treatment with more intense therapies like supplemental oxygen, breathing treatments, or even mechanical ventilation.
Tips for post-pneumonia recovery
- If you have pneumonia caused by a bacterial infection, your doctor will prescribe antibiotics for y…
You may also benefit from taking cough medicine if your cough is interfering with your ability to rest. However, coughing is important for helping your body eliminate phlegm from the lungs.
Takeaway
- Pneumonia is a potentially serious complication of upper respiratory infection spreading to the l…
It can be caused by a variety of germs, including viruses and bacteria. Babies under 2 and adults over 65 are recommended to get the pneumonia vaccine. Individuals of any age who are at increased risk should also get the vaccine.