Hillary Clinton Reckless and Careless About National Security Classification, is also Reckless and Careless About Contagious Pneumonia

Hillary Clinton, diagnosed with pneumonia on Friday, putting her hands around a young child on Sunday, using her as a political prop to prove how “Well” she is. 

Pneumonia Symptoms and Causes

There are more than 30 different organisms — including bacteria, viruses, and fungi — that cause pneumonia.

When these germs enter the lungs, they can overpower the immune system and invade nearby lung tissues, which are very delicate.

Once infected, the lungs's air sacs inflame and fill up with fluid and pus, which causes coughing, fever, chills, and breathing problems.

Is Pneumonia Contagious?

In fact, you don't catch pneumonia: You catch the germs that cause it.

You can catch the germs that cause pneumonia in the most common of places, and the environment you frequent on a daily basis may contribute to how susceptible you are to the disease.

For example, children in school or daycare facilities can easily catch viruses from one another, which makes them more prone to viral pneumonia.

In general, viral pneumonias are more contagious than bacterial and fungal pneumonias. That's because viruses are more likely to spread from person to person.

Some types of pneumonia are contagious only in certain environments.

For example, Legionnaires' disease, which is caused by the bacteria Legionella pneumophila, may only be contagious for people exposed to a contaminated air conditioning system.

It's also been linked to inhaling droplets from whirlpools, spas, or fountains.

In general, your chance of developing the disease if you catch these germs depends on your age, health, and lifestyle.

Bacterial Pneumonia

Bacteria are the most common cause of pneumonia in adults.

Bacterial pneumonia may follow a viral infection like the cold or flu. This type of pneumonia usually affects one area of the lung and is referred to as lobar pneumonia.

Types of bacterial pneumonia include:

• Streptococcus pneumoniae
• Legionnaire's disease
• Mycoplasma pneumonia
• Chlamydophila pneumonia
• Haemophilus influenza type B

Streptococcus pneumoniae, also known as pneumococcal pneumonia, is the most common cause of bacterial pneumonia in adults.

It can be prevented by a vaccine called Pneumovax, which is currently recommended to start at age 65 or in anyone younger whose health is compromised.

Mycoplasma pneumonia usually affects younger adults who work in crowded areas such as schools, homeless shelters, or prisons.

Chlamydophila pneumonia is a mild pneumonia infection that usually affects people over age 60.

Haemophilus influenza type B can be prevented with a vaccine, called the Hib vaccine. It's recommended for all children younger than 5.

Most bacteria that cause pneumonia are pyogenic bacteria, which means that they increase mucous production.

A cough that produces discolored mucous is a classic sign of bacterial pneumonia.

Other bacterial pneumonia symptoms include:

• High fever
• Chills
• Rapid breathing
• Pain when coughing or breathing deeply
• Shortness of breath
• Exhaustion
• Loss of appetite

Bacterial pneumonias tend to be more serious with more noticeable symptoms than other types of pneumonia.

Walking Pneumonia

A mild case of bacterial pneumonia, often called walking pneumonia, features symptoms similar to the common cold, including:

• Persistent dry cough that often gets worse at night
• Low-grade fever
• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue or tiredness
• Chest pain that gets worse when you take a deep breath or cough
• Loss of appetite

Some less-common symptoms of walking pneumonia may also include:

• Diarrhea
• Rash
• Sore throat

Viral Pneumonia

Viruses are responsible for about a third of all pneumonias, and they're the most common cause of pneumonia in children younger than 5.

Viral pneumonias tend to clear up in about one to three weeks, but they can increase your risk for bacterial pneumonia.

Viral pneumonia is usually less serious than bacterial pneumonia.

At first, the symptoms of viral pneumonia may be similar to symptoms often associated with the flu, except you may experience a dry cough that does not produce phlegm.

You may also develop a fever and headache.

Within a couple of days, however, these symptoms typically get worse.

Adults with viral pneumonia can also expect to develop:

• Sore throat
• Loss of appetite
• Muscle pain

The flu virus is the most common cause of viral pneumonia in adults, which tends to be more serious in people with heart or lung disease and in pregnant women.

Influenza can cause pneumonia, but can also predispose people to bacterial pneumonia — yet another good reason to get the yearly flu shot.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) pneumonia is usually a mild infection that clears up in about a week or two.

It can be more severe and is more common in young children and older adults.

In fact, RSV is the most common cause of pneumonia in children younger than12 months.

SARS

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a type of pneumonia triggered by the type of viruses that cause the common cold — and it spreads like a cold.

This virus was first identified in 2003, when there were about 8,000 cases reported worldwide.

Since then, cases have become less common, but this form of viral pneumonia can be deadly in elderly people.

Fungal Pneumonia

Three types of fungi living in soil are known causes of pneumonia:

• Coccidioidomycosis is common in the American Southwest
• Histoplasmosis is found in the middle part of the country
• Cryptococcus is found in bird droppings all across the country

Most people who inhale these fungi do not get sick, but if your immune system is weak, you may develop pneumonia.

Another fungus, Pneumocystis jirovecii, can generate an infection in people with a weakened immune system, such as those who have HIV/AIDS.

The symptoms of pneumonia caused by fungi are often similar to those of other forms of pneumonia, including a fever, dry cough, shortness of breath, and fatigue.

Because this type of pneumonia usually affects people with weakened immune systems, however, symptoms tend to develop faster, and people often experience a high fever.

Pneumonia Complications

If you have flu-like symptoms that persist or worsen despite treatment, talk to your doctor.

Your doctor can listen to your lungs for crackling sounds when you inhale that are audible only with a stethoscope.

In order to confirm the diagnosis and identify the specific germ causing the illness, you may get a chest X-ray as well as a blood test depending on your medical history and physical exam if your doctor suspects that you have pneumonia.

If left untreated, pneumonia can become severe.

People with severe pneumonia experience higher fevers and GI symptoms, such as vomiting and diarrhea, as well as:

• Difficulty breathing
• Excessive sweating
• Rapid breathing
• Rapid heart rate
• Bluish tint to lips and nails from a lack of oxygen in the blood

If you have trouble breathing, don't wait for an office visit with your doctor; go to the emergency room right away.

Older people may also become confused or less aware of what's going on around them if they develop pneumonia.

Rather than a fever, their temperatures might be lower than normal.

They may also have milder or fewer symptoms.

Even so, a serious infection may still be brewing that requires medical attention.

EVERYDAY HEALTH.COM