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Like any other organ, the lungs could also be vulnerable to infections. It can affect one or both lungs. Different types of organisms could cause infections, e.g. bacteria, viruses, or even fungi.
Regardless of the type of the organism, infection is never a pleasant experience. There are uncomfortable symptoms, the severity of which depends on many things (age, other medical conditions, type of the causative agent, etc.).
How do we know someone has a lung infection? We cannot be sure unless the physician conducts specific tests. Generally, the symptoms are similar to a cold. It can range from cough with thick mucus to fever, chest pain, running nose or even breathlessness. Usually, these problems persist longer than a common cold.
Certain factors increase the risk of lung infections. One of these is age. Extremes of age, e.g., very old and very young people, are at a high risk, albeit for two different reasons.
People aged 65 or more have a physiologically weaker immunity. On the other hand, the bodies of kids younger than 02 years are yet to develop full-fledged immunity.
As a result, both these groups are less able to fight the pathogens, making them a prime target for any infection, including the lung. For the same reason, premature babies are at a very high risk.
Lung infections are contagious, which means the pathogen spreads from one person to another. So, living in a crowded area is always a risk factor.
People in shelters, dormitories, troops or police in barracks, and incarcerated people are all vulnerable to such organisms.
We cannot talk about the lungs without bringing a cigarette into it. And this is another culprit for lung infection. Cigarettes could cause damage to the lungs and, at the same time, lower the ability of the lungs to resist foreign organisms. Consequently, pathogens find it easy to attack.
There are still risks even if we are not smoking, but someone nearby is. Secondhand smoke is a known risk factor for pneumonia. So, a cigarette is not only dangerous to the person smoking it, but also to everyone who is taking in the smoke just because they are in proximity.
There are some medical conditions which can increase the risk of lung infections. These include chronic lung diseases like cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, etc. Anything lowering the strength of our immunity also increases the risk, e.g. chemotherapy, bone marrow transplant, HIV infection, pregnancy, using steroids long term, etc.
Hospitalisation for serious diseases, which may necessitate intensive care, makes people vulnerable to infections, including lung infections. This is especially true for immobilised persons and persons on a ventilator.
Lung infections are usually treatable. The physician can diagnose and provide the treatment necessary to clear it out. However, we must remember that for the elderly, kids and immunocompromised individuals, such infections can be life-threatening. Prompt medical care is, therefore, imperative.