A bacterial, viral, or fungal infection can cause pneumonia, which involves lung fluid and inflammation. It makes breathing difficult and can result in fever, a cough with yellow, green, or red mucus, and other symptoms. The most typical causes of pneumonia include the flu, COVID-19, and pneumococcal illness. The aetiology and severity of pneumonia affect the course of treatment.
All pneumonia is inflammation brought on by a lung infection, but depending on whether a virus, bacterium, or fungus is to blame, you may have various symptoms.
Viral pneumonia is less prevalent and usually not as serious as bacterial pneumonia. A hospital stay is more likely to be necessary. Antibiotics are used by providers to treat bacterial pneumonia. Flu-like symptoms are more common with viral pneumonia, which is more likely to go away on its own. Viral pneumonia typically doesn’t require a specific course of therapy.
Symptoms of bacterial pneumonia
Symptoms of bacterial pneumonia can develop gradually or suddenly. Symptoms include:
High fever (up to 105 F or 40.55 C).
Cough with yellow, green or bloody mucus.
Tiredness (fatigue).
Rapid breathing.
Shortness of breath.
Rapid heart rate.
Sweating or chills.
Chest pain and/or abdominal pain, especially with coughing or deep breathing.
Loss of appetite.
Bluish skin, lips or nails (cyanosis).
Confusion or altered mental state.
When your immune system fights an infection in the tiny sacs of your lung (alveoli), pneumonia may result. Your lungs enlarge and start to leak as a result of this.
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