Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs, wherein there is inflammation of the lungs, which is

caused due to bacteria, viruses and fungi. When this disease occurs over a long period of time,
then it is known as chronic pneumonia. Although it does not occur suddenly like acute
pneumonia, but the damage that occurs to the lungs over a period of time can prove to be very
harmful, and if not dealt within time, may even prove to be fatal.

Causes

Chronic pneumonia can be caused due to bacteria, viruses, fungi, and even in some rare cases
of immunocompromised individuals, parasites. However, the most common culprits include
Nocardia, Actinomyces and Blastomyces dermatitidis. Certain granulomatous pneumonias
can occur due to atypical mycobacteria like Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Coccidioides
immitis. More often than not, these microorganisms are endemic in certain regions of the
United States, and hence anyone who has traveled to such areas recently should be extra
cautious and should keep an eye out for symptoms of pneumonia. However, it is often people
who have a compromised immune system are the ones that suffer from chronic pneumonia, as
the disease takes a prolonged course as compared to acute pneumonia.

Symptoms

High fever, which may be accompanied by chills, as is seen in cases of chills and fever
Chest pain, especially chest pain while breathing in
Due to the pain in chest while breathing in, the person may even take in shallow, rapid breaths
Cough, which may be dry or wet. However, more often than not, the person has cough with
phlegm
There may even be phlegm with blood in it
Feeling of heaviness and congestion in the chest
Sweating, especially night sweats, shivering, chest pain, difficulty in breathing along with
cyanosis
Drowsiness, confusion, shortness of breath, increased respiratory rate, fatigue and tiredness,
rhinitis, muscle aches and body pain, headache, etc.

Treatment

Before going on to treating pneumonia, it is important to diagnose the exact cause of

pneumonia, as the treatment will vary in accordance with the causative agent. However
antibiotics form the first line of defense in cases of pneumonia of the chronic type. These
antibiotics are given either orally or intravenously depending on the severity of the disease
and the stage in which it is. Mostly antibiotics help in most cases of pneumonia that are
caused due to bacteria. However, if the person is suffering from viral pneumonia or fungal
pneumonia, then chances are high that he or she is extremely immunocompromised. In such
cases, there is need for very aggressive treatment, with the help of intravenous mode of
administration of antibiotics. Other supportive treatment measures like, maintaining
hydration, preventing any further super infections, etc. However, the prognosis for patients
suffering from nosocomial, that is hospital acquired pneumonia, is relatively poor, as this type
of pneumonia normally affects immunocompromised people. Furthermore, the strains of
bacteria that cause nosocomial infections are normally antibiotic resistant, which further
makes treating such cases a difficult task.

Often the patient ignores the symptoms initially, as the onset of symptoms is not very sudden,
and so people tend to ignore them or write them off as cold or flu. However, this is a serious
condition that can cause irreparable lung damage, especially when it is hospital acquired or if
the patient is immunocompromised. So if you see these symptoms, it is best to consult a
doctor and get your condition diagnosed and treated at the earliest.
Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/chronic-pneumonia.html

Chronic pneumonia is an inflammation of the lungs that persists for an extended period of
time, without a sudden onset. In contrast, acute pneumonia develops quickly and usually lasts
less than three weeks. Classically, pneumonia is caused by infection with bacteria, viruses, or
fungi that colonize the lungs and cause irritation. Treatment requires providing medication to
kill the organisms and offering supportive therapy if the patient has difficulty breathing or
develops other complications.

People can develop chronic pneumonia at any age. The symptoms can onset so slowly that
people may not realize they have pneumonia for days or weeks. Signs of chronic pneumonia
can include coughing, wheezing, fatigue, difficulty breathing, fever, night sweats, and chest
pains. People do not have to have a history of chest cold or known exposure to infectious
organisms to develop pneumonia as this condition can be acquired in any number of places.

In patients with chronic pneumonia, blood testing usually shows unusually high levels of
white blood cells and other signs of chronic inflammation. The lungs can appear obstructed on
X-rays and if they are imaged with an endoscopy procedure, changes can be seen in the
airways and the insides of the lungs, showing that chronic inflammation has resulted in
redness, excessive production of mucus, and other changes to the respiratory tract.

Some doctors start a patient with chronic pneumonia on antibiotic medications immediately.
Others may request a sample from the lungs for the purpose of culturing the organisms to find
out what is causing the infection. Doing a culture can help a doctor identify the correct
medications to use, minimizing wasted time with ineffective medications. Cultures can be
especially important if there is a concern about a possibility of infection with drug resistant
organisms that will not respond to common drugs. Ventilation is sometimes needed for
patients with pneumonia if they experience extreme difficulty breathing and medications may
be given to open up the airways and help wheezy patients breathe more freely.

Infection with chronic pneumonia can cause long-term damages. Lung capacity may be
permanently impaired and patients can be left with scarring and other problems that cause
difficulty breathing in the future. Recovery time from chronic pneumonia can be longer than
patients might expect as the lungs need to heal after the infectious organisms are killed off. It
is important to complete courses of recommended medications, follow directions about rest,
and comply with other directions designed to protect lung health.