Infectious disease epidemiology Pneumonia, causative agents, socio-environmental factors, signs & symptoms, management, prevention

1. PNEUMONIA
Dr. P I Muhammed Safeer
Assistant Professor
Department of PG Studies in Swasthavritta & Yoga
VPSV Ayurveda College, Kottakkal

2. • Pneumonia is a form of acute respiratory tract
infection (ARTI) that affects the lungs.
• The alveoli in the lungs are filled with pus and
fluid, which makes breathing painful and limits
oxygen intake.
• Non infectious types – inhaling aspirating
foreign matter or toxic substances, into lungs

3. • The populations most at risk
– children under five years,
– people aged 65 or over, and
– people with pre-existing health problems.
• Caused by a variety of microorganisms, including
viruses, bacteria, or fungi.
• Symptoms – fever, chills, cough, unusually rapid
breathing, wheezing, labored breathing,
vomiting, chest pain, abdominal pain, decreased
activity.

4. • Accounts for 16% of all deaths of children
under 5 years old (2015)
• Can be prevented by immunization, adequate
nutrition, and by addressing environmental
factors.
• Pneumonia caused by bacteria can be treated
with antibiotics, but only one third of children
with pneumonia receive the antibiotics they
need.

6. Agents
• Streptococcus pneumoniae – the most common
cause of bacterial pneumonia in children;
• Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) – the second
most common cause of bacterial pneumonia;
• Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is the most
common viral cause of pneumonia
• In infants infected with HIV, Pneumocystis
jiroveci is one of the most common cause

7. Mode of Transmission
• Generally spread by direct contact with
infected people.
• The human nasopharynx is the only natural
reservoir for S. pneumoniae and these
bacteria along with viruses are commonly
found in a child’s nose or throat.
• Air-borne droplets from a cough or sneeze
• May spread through blood, especially during
and shortly after birth.

8. Presenting features
• Cough and/or dyspnoea, with or without
fever, the presence of either fast breathing or
lower chest wall indrawing where their chest
moves in or retracts during inhalation.
• Wheezing is more common in viral infections.
• Very severely ill infants unable to feed or
drink, unconsciousness, hypothermia and
convulsions.

9. Risk factors
• children whose immune systems are
compromised
• malnutrition or undernourishment, especially
in infants who are not exclusively breastfed.
• HIV infections and measles increase risk

10. • People with chronic heart, lung, or liver
diseases, or sickle cell anaemia
• People living with HIV/AIDS or people who
have had organ transplants
• The following environmental factors:
– indoor air pollution caused by cooking and heating
with biomass fuels (such as wood or dung)
– living in crowded homes
– smoking.

11. Diagnosis
• Physical examination: auscultation – wheezing
sound on inhalation.
• bacteriological and/or PCR tests of blood
• Chest X-Ray:
• Sputum exam
• pleural fluid culture
• Bronchoscopy
• Urine exam.

12. Treatment
• Antibiotics
• Antiviral
• Rest

13. Prevention
• Immunization
• Adequate nutrition
• Addressing environmental factors such as
indoor air pollution (by providing affordable
clean indoor stoves, for example) and
encouraging good hygiene
• In children infected with HIV, the antibiotic
cotrimoxazole is given daily to decrease the
risk of contracting pneumonia.

14. THANK YOU