Lung Infections, A Simple Guide To The Condition, Diagnosis, Treatment And Related Conditions

By Kenneth Kee

This book describes Lung Infections, Diagnosis and Treatment and Related Diseases

Today we are fighting the COVID19 virus outbreak which is spreading through out the world as a Pandemic since December 2019.
There are now 179,073 cases of COVID-19 and at least 7,074 people have died, according to the most recent data (March 16 2020) from the WHO data.
This show the importance of a lung infection which produces symptoms same as the cold or flu, but may be more severe and normally last longer.
Severe symptoms of Lung infection are:
1. Difficulty breathing
2. A bluish color in the lips or fingertips
3. Severe chest pain
4. A high fever
5. Cough with mucus that is getting worse

The more frequent name for lung infection is a lower respiratory tract infection.

A person who is involved by such an infection tends likely to feel very weak and quite unwell.

It can be a precipitating factor for other health disorders.

A lung infection can be produced by a virus, bacteria, and occasionally even a fungus.

In the USA about 30% of pneumonias are viral.

A lung infection can be categorized as either chronic or acute.

When a diagnosis is made, it is normally of either bronchitis or pneumonia.

Bronchitis is most often produced by a viral infection, even though it can happen from the presence of bacteria.

On the other hand, pneumonia can happen from many different factors such as from the environment or a hospital infection.

This special lung infection is likely to involve people who have a weakened immune system like children, pregnant women or the elderly.

One of the most frequent types of lung infections is named pneumonia.

Pneumonia, which involves the smaller air sacs of the lungs, is most often produced by infectious bacteria, but can also be produced by a virus.

A person is infected by inhaling the bacteria or virus after an infected person sneezes or coughs.

When the large bronchial tubes that bring air to and from the lungs are infected, it is termed bronchitis.

Bronchitis tends more likely to be produced by a virus than by bacteria.

Viruses can also assault the lungs or the air passages that pass to the lungs.

This is named bronchiolitis.

Viral bronchiolitis most often happens in infants.

Lung infections like pneumonia are normally mild, but they can be severe, particularly for people with weakened immune systems or chronic disorders, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Bronchitis, pneumonia, and bronchiolitis are the 3 types of lung infections.

They are normally produced by a virus or bacteria.

The most frequent microorganisms causing bronchitis are:

1. Viruses such as the influenza virus or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)

2. Bacteria such as Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydia pneumoniae, and Bordetella pertussis

The most frequent microorganisms accountable for pneumonia are:
Bacteria such as Streptococcus pneumonia (most frequent), Haemophilus influenzae, and Mycoplasma pneumoniae

3. Rarely, lung infections can be produced by fungi such as Pneumocystis jirovecii, Aspergillus, or Histoplasma capsulatum.

A fungal lung infection is more frequent in people who are immunosuppressed either from certain types of cancer or HIV or from taking immunosuppressive medicines.

If the patient has a lung infection, the most frequent symptoms are:
1. Cough that produces thick mucus
2. Stabbing chest pains
3. Fever
4. Body aches
5. Shortness of breath
6. Crackling or rattling sounds in the lungs

A chest X-ray or CT scan may show evidence of infection of the lungs.

Treatment is supportive, antibiotics for bacteria and hospitalization (IV fluids, oxygen, mechanical ventilator).

TABLE OF CONTENT
Introduction
Chapter 1 Lung Infections
Chapter 2 RSV Infection
Chapter 3 Bronch

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kenneth Kee
• Release date: Apr 5, 2020
• ISBN: 9780463248577

Kenneth Kee

Medical doctor since 1972.Started Kee Clinic in 1974 at 15 Holland Dr #03-102, relocated to 36 Holland Dr #01-10 in 2009.Did my M.Sc (Health Management ) in 1991 and Ph.D (Healthcare Administration) in 1993.Dr Kenneth Kee is still working as a family doctor at the age of 74However he has reduced his consultation hours to 3 hours in the morning and 2 hours inthe afternoon.He first started writing free blogs on medical disorders seen in the clinic in 2007 on http://kennethkee.blogspot.com.His purpose in writing these simple guides was for the health education of his patients which is also his dissertation for his Ph.D (Healthcare Administration). He then wrote an autobiography account of his journey as a medical student to family doctor on his other blog http://afamilydoctorstale.blogspot.comThis autobiography account “A Family Doctor’s Tale” was combined with his early “A Simple Guide to Medical Disorders” into a new Wordpress Blog “A Family Doctor’s Tale” on http://ken-med.com.From which many free articles from the blog was taken and put together into 1000 eBooks.He apologized for typos and spelling mistakes in his earlier books.He will endeavor to improve the writing in futures.Some people have complained that the simple guides are too simple.For their information they are made simple in order to educate the patients.The later books go into more details of medical disorders.He has published 1000 eBooks on various subjects on health, 1 autobiography of his medical journey, another on the autobiography of a Cancer survivor, 2 children stories and one how to study for his nephew and grand-daughter.The purpose of these simple guides is to educate patient on health disorders and not meant as textbooks.He does not do any night duty since 2000 ever since Dr Tan had his second stroke.His clinic is now relocated to the Buona Vista Community Centre.The 2 units of his original clinic are being demolished to make way for a new Shopping Mall.He is now doing some blogging and internet surfing (bulletin boards since the 1980's) startingwith the Apple computer and going to PC.The entire PC is upgraded by himself from XT to the present Pentium duo core.The present Intel i7 CPU is out of reach at the moment because the CPU is still expensive.He is also into DIY changing his own toilet cistern and other electric appliance.His hunger for knowledge has not abated and he is a lifelong learner.The children have all grown up and there are 2 grandchildren who are even more technically advanced than the grandfather where mobile phones are concerned.This book is taken from some of the many articles in his blog (now with 740 posts) A Family Doctor’s Tale.Dr Kee is the author of:"A Family Doctor's Tale""Life Lessons Learned From The Study And Practice Of Medicine""Case Notes From A Family Doctor"

Book preview

Lung Infections,

A

Simple

Guide

To

The Condition,

Diagnosis,

Treatment

And

Related Conditions

By

Dr Kenneth Kee

M.B.,B.S. (Singapore)

Ph.D (Healthcare Administration)

Copyright Kenneth Kee 2020 Smashwords Edition

Published by Kenneth Kee at Smashwords.com

Dedication

This book is dedicated

To my wife Dorothy

And my children

Carolyn, Grace

And Kelvin

This book describes Lung Infections, Diagnosis and Treatment and Related Diseases which is seen in some of my patients in my Family Clinic.

(What You Need to Treat Lung Infections)

This e-Book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader.

If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy.

Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Introduction

I have been writing medical articles for my blog: http://kennethkee.blogspot.com (A Simple Guide to Medical Disorder) for the benefit of my patients since 2007.

My purpose in writing these simple guides was for the health education of my patients.

Health Education was also my dissertation for my Ph.D (Healthcare Administration).

I then wrote an autobiography account of my journey as a medical student to family doctor on my other blog: http://afamilydoctorstale.blogspot.com.

This autobiography account A Family Doctor’s Tale was combined with my early A Simple Guide to Medical Disorders into a new Wordpress Blog A Family Doctor’s Tale on http://kenkee481.wordpress.com.

From which many free articles from the blog was taken and put together into 800 eBooks.

Some people have complained that the simple guides are too simple.

For their information they are made simple in order to educate the patients.

The later books go into more details of medical disorders.

The first chapter is always from my earlier blogs which unfortunately tends to have typos and spelling mistakes.

Since 2013, I have tried to improve my spelling and writing.

As I tried to bring the patient the latest information about a disorder or illness by reading the latest journals both online and offline, I find that I am learning more and improving on my own medical knowledge in diagnosis and treatment for my patients.

My diagnosis and treatment capability has improved tremendously from my continued education.

Just by writing all these simple guides I find that I have learned a lot from your reviews (good or bad), criticism and advice.

I am sorry for the repetitions in these simple guides as the second chapters onwards have new information as compared to my first chapter taken from my blog.

I also find repetition definitely help me and maybe some readers to remember the facts in the books more easily.

I apologize if these repetitions are irritating to some readers.

Chapter 1

Lung Infection

What Is Lung Infection?

The more frequent name for lung infection is a lower respiratory tract infection.

A person who is involved by such an infection tends likely to feel very weak and quite unwell.

It can be a precipitating factor for other health disorders.

A lung infection can be produced by a virus, bacteria, and occasionally even a fungus.

In the USA about 30% of pneumonias are viral.

A lung infection can be categorized as either chronic or acute.

When a diagnosis is made, it is normally of either bronchitis or pneumonia.

Bronchitis is most often produced by a viral infection, even though it can happen from the presence of bacteria.

On the other hand, pneumonia can happen from numerous different factors such as from the environment or a hospital infection.

This special lung infection is likely to involve people who have a weakened immune system like children, pregnant women or the elderly.

One of the most frequent types of lung infections is named pneumonia.

Pneumonia, which involves the smaller air sacs of the lungs, is most often produced by infectious bacteria, but can also be produced by a virus.

A person is infected by inhaling the bacteria or virus after an infected person sneezes or coughs.

When the large bronchial tubes that bring air to and from the lungs are infected, it is termed bronchitis.

Bronchitis tends more likely to be produced by a virus than by bacteria.

Viruses can also assault the lungs or the air passages that pass to the lungs.

This is named bronchiolitis.

Viral bronchiolitis most often happens in infants.

Lung infections like pneumonia are normally mild, but they can be severe, particularly for people with weakened immune systems or chronic disorders, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

What are the Causes of Lung Infection?

Causes

Bronchitis, pneumonia, and bronchiolitis are the 3 types of lung infections.

They are normally produced by a virus or bacteria.

The most frequent microorganisms accountable for bronchitis are:

1. Viruses such as the influenza virus or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)

2. Bacteria such as Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydia pneumoniae, and Bordetella pertussis

The most frequent microorganisms accountable for pneumonia are:

Bacteria such as Streptococcus pneumonia (most frequent), Haemophilus influenzae, and Mycoplasma pneumoniae

3. Rarely, lung infections can be produced by fungi such as Pneumocystis jirovecii, Aspergillus, or Histoplasma capsulatum.

A fungal lung infection is more frequent in people who are immunosuppressed either from certain types of cancer or HIV or from taking immunosuppressive medicines.

What are the Symptoms of Lung Infection?

Symptoms

The symptoms of a lung infection differ from mild to severe.

This is dependent on several factors, such as the age and general health, and whether the infection is produced by a virus, bacteria, or fungus.

Symptoms may be the same as those of a cold or flu, but they are likely to last longer.

If the patient has a lung infection, here are the most frequent symptoms to anticipate:

1. Cough that produces thick mucus

Coughing helps to clear the body of the mucus formed from inflammation of the airways and lungs.

This mucus may also include blood.

With bronchitis or pneumonia, the patient may have a cough that forms thick mucus that may have a distinct color, such as:

a. Clear

b. White

c. Green

d. Yellowish-grey

A cough can remain for several weeks even after other symptoms have increased.

2. Stabbing chest pains

Chest pain produced by a lung infection is often depicted as sharp or stabbing.

The chest pain is likely to become worse while coughing or breathing deeply.

Occasionally the sharp pains can be sensed in the mid to upper back.

3. Fever

A fever happens as the body attempts to fight off the infection.

Normal body temperature is normally around 98.6°F (37°C).

If the patient has a bacterial lung infection, the fever may rise as high as a dangerous 105°F (40.5°C).

Any high fever above 102°F (38.9°C) often lead to many other symptoms, such as:

a. Sweating

b. Chills

c. Muscle aches

d. Dehydration

e. Headache

f. Weakness

The patient should consult a doctor if the fever rises above 102°F (38.9°C) or if it persists more than three days.

4. Body aches

The muscles and back may feel pain when the patient has a lung infection.

This is termed myalgia.

Occasionally the patient can form inflammation in the muscles which can also cause body aches when the patient has an infection.

5. Runny nose

A runny nose and other influenza-like symptoms, such as sneezing, often accompany a lung infection like bronchitis.

6. Shortness of breath

Shortness of breath indicates that the patient senses breathing is difficult or that the patient cannot breathe in totally.

The patient should consult a doctor right away if the patient is having trouble breathing.

7. Fatigue

The patient will normally feel sluggish and tired as the body battles off an infection.

Rest is essential during this time.

8. Wheezing

When the patient exhales, the patient might hear a high-pitched whistling sound called wheezing.

This is the result of narrowed airways or inflammation.

9. Bluish appearance of the skin or lips

The lips or nails may begin to appear slightly blue in color because of the lack of oxygen.

10. Crackling or rattling sounds in the lungs

One of the revealing signs of a lung infection is a crackling sound in the base of the lungs, also called bibasilar crackles.

A doctor can hear these sounds using a stethoscope.

Main Symptoms of Lung Infection

Symptoms of Viral Lung Infection

Some of the more frequent but non-severe symptoms of a viral lung infection are:

1. Cough,

2. Sore throat,

3. Mild fever, and

4. Runny nose.

An earache can be felt in some rare cases.

Other symptoms documented by patients are:

1. Difficulty breathing,

2. Wheezing and

3. Dehydration.

In severe cases, the person with this disorder may show blue lips.

Symptoms of Bacterial Lung Infection

A bacterial lung infection is normally the effect of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

The most often symptom of a bacterial lung infection is inflammation.

This is as the effect of the release of histamine by infected cells, which produces swelling in addition to the formation of mucus and higher blood flow.

Skin irritation tends also likely with MRSA related lung infections.

The patient’s skin may be observed as red, dry and feel itchy.

If pus-filled, pimple-like bumps happen, these are likely to be quite infectious, passing on