Difference Between Viral and Bacterial Pneumonia

The difference between viral pneumonia and bacterial pneumonia. Treatment is the biggest difference between bacterial and viral pneumonia. Bacterial pneumonia is treated with antibiotic therapy, while viral pneumonia will usually get better on its own.

1. How can you tell the difference between viral and bacterial pneumonia?
2. Is bacterial or viral pneumonia worse?
3. How do doctors know if it's viral or bacterial?
4. Is walking pneumonia viral or bacterial?
5. What is the best antibiotic for bacterial pneumonia?
6. Does bacterial pneumonia go away on its own?
7. What is the best treatment for viral pneumonia?
8. How do you treat viral pneumonia at home?
9. What happens if pneumonia is left untreated?

How can you tell the difference between viral and bacterial pneumonia?

Often viral cases of pneumonia begin as congestion and cough with or without fever in the first few days. When a doctor listens to the lungs and finds breathing sounds are not clear on either side of the chest, a viral cause over bacterial is even more highly suspected.

Is bacterial or viral pneumonia worse?

Bacterial and viral pneumonia are more common than pneumonia resulting from fungal infections. Bacteria such as Streptococcus pneumoniae cause bacterial pneumonia. This type of pneumonia is usually more severe than viral pneumonia.

How do doctors know if it's viral or bacterial?

Diagnosis of Bacterial and Viral Infections

But your doctor may be able to determine the cause by listening to your medical history and doing a physical exam. If necessary, they also can order a blood or urine test to help confirm a diagnosis, or a "culture test" of tissue to identify bacteria or viruses.

Is walking pneumonia viral or bacterial?

"Walking pneumonia" is a non-medical term for a mild case of pneumonia. Technically, it's called atypical pneumonia and is caused by bacteria or viruses; often a common bacterium called Mycoplasma pneumonia.

What is the best antibiotic for bacterial pneumonia?

The best initial antibiotic choice is thought to be a macrolide. Macrolides provide the best coverage for the most likely organisms in community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CAP). Macrolides have effective coverage for gram-positive, Legionella, and Mycoplasma organisms.

Does bacterial pneumonia go away on its own?

Bacterial pneumonia is treated with antibiotic therapy, while viral pneumonia will usually get better on its own. In some cases, viral pneumonia can lead to a secondary bacterial pneumonia. At that point, your doctor may prescribe antibiotic therapy.

What is the best treatment for viral pneumonia?

There are no treatments for most viral causes of pneumonia. However, if the flu virus is thought to be the cause, antiviral drugs might be prescribed, such as oseltamivir (Tamiflu®), zanamivir (Relenza®), or peramivir (Rapivab®), to decrease the length and severity of the illness.

How do you treat viral pneumonia at home?

How Is It Treated?

1. Get lots of rest.
2. Drink plenty of fluids. They'll loosen up the gunk in your lungs so you can cough it out.
3. Use a humidifier or take a warm bath (more gunk-loosening).
4. Don't smoke.
5. Stay home until your fever goes down and you're not coughing anything out.

What happens if pneumonia is left untreated?

However, if left untreated, pneumonia can lead to serious complications, including an increased risk of re-infection, and possible permanent damage to your lungs. One complication from bacterial pneumonia is the infection can enter your blood stream and infect other systems in your body.