World Pneumonia Day 2022: Prevention, causes, symptoms, all you need to know about the respiratory infection

World Pneumonia Day is celebrated on November 12 every year to raise awareness about the disease and its harmful effects. Here is all you need to know about its symptoms, causes, cure and treatment.

World Pneumonia Day: An acute respiratory infection which is commonly caused by viruses or bacteria is Pneumonia. It is the biggest infectious killer claiming the lives of 2.5 million, including adults and children, in 2019. November 12 is celebrated yearly as World Pneumonia Day to create awareness about the disease.

India is responsible for 23 % of the pneumonia burden globally, and case fatality rates are between 14 and 30%. The situation in children is no different. It is the leading cause of mortality worldwide, with India reporting about 20% of those deaths and having recorded an unpleasant childhood pneumonia than any other country. Here are some essential facts about the causes of Pneumonia, causes, symptoms, prevention and treatment you should know.

What is Pneumonia? An infection causing an inflammatory response in the lung is called Pneumonia. Though bacterial infections cause most Pneumonia, viral diseases like influenza or COVID-19 can also affect the lungs. They can cause severe inflammatory damage to them, as evidenced by the ongoing pandemic.

Causes of Pneumonia: In India, tuberculosis remains a significant cause of Pneumonia, especially among people with low-income status people and those who don't have good immunity. It is observed that higher cases of Pneumonia are reported amongst those who smoke or have a history of alcohol intake or other harmful substances or among those with underlying chronic respiratory conditions like COPD. 

Other causes of Pneumonia: 

• Poor nutritional intake, especially among children
• Improper ventilation at the workplace or home
• Due to underlying immunocompromised conditions such as HIV
• Those who take steroids or other immunosuppressant medications for autoimmune disorders or organ transplants 
• People who have uncontrolled diabetes have a higher risk of getting Pneumonia

Symptoms: 

• Usually, Pneumonia patients experience high-grade fever with or without chills and rigour.
• They may have a cough with yellowish or green-coloured sputum
• They may feel breathlessness
• A few patients may also experience occasional coughing out blood or loss of appetite and chest pain.
• Bloodstream infections occur in patients with severe infections and require an advanced life support system.

Diagnosis: Pneumonia cases are mostly diagnosed with a simple chest X-ray and basic blood workup. Still, few may require a chest CT scan to diagnose atypical presentation or complications of Pneumonia. In addition, other tests like sputum examination are generally ordered to identify the cause of Pneumonia. Molecular tests like RT PCR with a short turnaround time have been done to get a proper diagnosis with high certainty.

Preventing Pneumonia: An effective way of preventing the occurrence of Pneumonia is to adhere to timely vaccination, especially among high-risk groups. Various adult vaccines like influenza and pneumococcal have successfully reduced the incidence and severity of bacterial Pneumonia in adults.