Facts About Pneumococcal Pneumonia

About Pneumococcal Pneumonia

Pneumonia is a lung disease that can be caused by a variety of viruses, bacteria, and sometimes fungi. Pneumococcal pneumonia is an infection in the lungs caused by bacteria called Streptococcus pneumoniae. S. pneumoniae, also called pneumococcus, can infect the upper respiratory tracts of adults and children and can spread to the blood, lungs, middle ear, or nervous system.

Transmission of Pneumococcal Pneumonia 

At any given time, the noses and throats of up to 70 percent of healthy people contain pneumococcus. Children, generally, harbor more of the bacteria than adults. Pneumococcus is spread through breathing the bacteria into the lungs, bypassing normal immune system defenses. Researchers don’t know what causes it to suddenly invade the lungs and the bloodstream to cause disease.

Symptoms of Pneumococcal Pneumonia 

Pneumococcal pneumonia may begin suddenly, with a severe shaking chill usually followed by

• High fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath
• Rapid breathing
• Chest pains

There may be other symptoms as well

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Headache
• Tiredness
• Muscle aches

Diagnosis of Pneumococcal Pneumonia 

A health care worker diagnoses pneumonia based on

• Symptoms
• Physical examination
• Laboratory tests
• Chest x-ray

Different bacteria, viruses, and other germs also can cause pneumonia. Therefore, if you have any of the symptoms, you should get diagnosed early and start taking medicine, if appropriate. The presence of S. pneumoniae in the blood, saliva, or lung fluid helps lead to a diagnosis of pneumococcal pneumonia.

Treatment for Pneumococcal Pneumonia 

Your health care worker usually will prescribe antibiotics, such as penicillin, to treat this disease. The symptoms of pneumococcal pneumonia usually go away within 12 to 36 hours after you start taking medicine.

Bacteria such as S. pneumoniae, however, are now capable of resisting and fighting off the powers of antibiotics to destroy them. Such antibiotic resistance is increasing worldwide because these medicines have been overused or misused. Therefore, if you are at risk of getting pneumococcal pneumonia, you should talk with your health care worker about taking steps to prevent it.

Prevention of Pneumococcal Pneumonia 

The pneumococcal vaccine is the only way to prevent getting pneumococcal pneumonia. Vaccines are available for children and adults.

Complications from Pneumococcal Pneumonia   

In about 30 percent of people with pneumococcal pneumonia, the bacteria invade the blood stream from the lungs. This causes bacteremia, a very serious complication of pneumococcal pneumonia that also can cause other lung problems and certain heart problems.

Reference for Pneumococcal Pneumonia Article

National Institutes of Health

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