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Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs. It can be a mild or severe disease, which can be deadly if not treated promptly.

Pneumonia can be caused by viruses (e.g. Influenza virus), bacteria (e.g. Streptococcus pneumoniae), atypical bacteria (e.g. Mycoplasma or Legionella), fungi (e.g. Cryptococcus) or parasites (e.g. Pneumocystis jirovecii).

Main symptoms of pneumonia are cough, shortness of breath and coughing up mucus.

Diagnosis is by X-ray and microbiological investigation of the coughed up mucus (sputum culture).

Bacterial and atypical pneumonia can be treated with antibiotics.

Short answer: You can get pneumonia by inhaling microbes sneezed or coughed out by people with pneumonia, from your own nose or throat or from environment.

Pneumonia often occurs in individuals with weak immune system. You can catch microbes from a person who has pneumonia, but, if you are otherwise healthy and have good immunity, you will probably develop only some mild disease rather than pneumonia.

Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs, caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi.

Viral pneumonia can occur as a complication of flu, usually in older people or those with weak immunity. So, a person who gets flu and has weak immunity due to an underlying disease, such as heart failure, is at increased risk to get viral pneumonia (caused by Influenza virus). If a healthy person with normal immunity comes in a close contact with a person with viral pneumonia, he or she will more likely develop flu than pneumonia. With other words, a healthy person can easily catch Influenza virus and get flu, but good immunity will prevent him or her from getting viral pneumonia.

A person with weak immunity can get bacterial pneumonia by inhaling bacteria that normally live in his or her own nose or throat. If you are in close contact with a person with bacterial pneumonia and you are otherwise healthy, you will not likely develop bacterial pneumonia.

You can get walking pneumonia caused by atypical bacteria Mycoplasma by being in prolonged close contact with a person who has walking pneumonia. This type of pneumonia is not considered very contagious.

You can get Legionnaire's disease (a type of atypical pneumonia) by inhaling the Legionella bacteria with water mist from cooling towers near large buildings such as hotels or hospitals or from indoor fountains, for example. Legionella does not likely spread from person to person.

You can catch fungal pneumonia by inhaling fungi from bat or rat droppings in caves, under bridges and so. Fungal pneumonia does not likely spread from person to person.

Symptoms of severe viral or bacterial pneumonia can include:

• Coughing up mucus
• Shortness of breath
• High fever
• Fatigue

Symptoms of mild walking (atypical) or fungal pneumnia can include:

• Dry cough
• Muscle pain
• Low-grade fever

An individual with severe pneumonia usually looks severely affected, pale, has increased breathing frequency (tachypnea) and increased heart rate (tachycardia).

During percussion of the lungs, a doctor can hear decreased sounds over the affected part of the lungs.

During auscultation (listening of the lungs by the stethoscope), a doctor can usually hear:

• Decreased breathing sounds
• Crackling sounds
• NOTE: in walking pneumonia, auscultation can be normal

An X-ray shows scattered or dense white shadows in one or both lung wings.

Common measures:

• Rest in bed
• Enough fluids to prevent dehydration

Bacterial pneumonia is treated by antibiotics such as penicillin or amoxicillin.

Mycoplasmal pneumonia can be treated by doxycycline oe azithromycin.

Legionnaire's disease can be treated by azithromycin and other antibiotics.

Viral pneumonia can be treated by antivirals, such as oseltamivir (for Influenza virus) or palivizumab (for respiratory syncytial virus)

Fungal pneumonia can be treated by antifungals, such as itraconazole.