The figures are alarming, there is no doubt. The pneumonia leaves each year about dozens of deads in our country, it is the leading cause of death in children under 5
Pneumonia, one of the most dangerous infectious diseases with which we live with.
What are the symptoms, how to recognize it? Are there ways to prevent infection? We tell you some basic keys you should know to avoid contagion and know how to act:
1.- Cause
In most cases, the disease is caused by infectious microorganisms, bacteria. And specifically for one of them: the pneumococcus.
In other cases, the infection comes from viruses and fungi. Its consequence is the inflammation of the lungs and a greater difficulty in breathing that can increase and worsen.
2.- What are your symptoms?
The most common are: high fever, cough, expectoration, pain in the side and respiratory distress.
To diagnose the disease, an x-ray of the patient’s chest is necessary, although on an auscultation the doctor may discover possible signs of pneumonia.
3.- Vaccination Yes or no?
Vaccination is essential in this pathology (both the anti-flu vaccine and the pneumococcal vaccine and the new 13-valent antineukococo conjugate vaccine
4.- Extreme contact with infected children.
The sure motive that sounds to you: children are the ones that transmit more viruses and bacteria. We must be careful with their excretions, if we are close to them, and perform a good periodic handwashing.
5.- What is current treatment?
Antibiotics and oxygen in those cases in which respiratory failures are also produced. The problem that pneumonia can be resistant to these drugs, is not recurrent in our country.
6.- Next step: early diagnosis.
Being able to diagnose as soon as possible in order to provide antibiotic treatment and not let pneumonia develop.
7.- Other recommendations to prevent them
In addition to vaccination, to know if we are at high risk of suffering from the disease or get infected with it, there is another set of essential guidelines to keep it at bay:
– An adequate diet: in which vegetables, fruits, dairy products and low fat proteins can not be absent.
