Depending on the strain of bacteria causing pneumonia, you may be contagious anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. One of the most common strains known for causing pneumonia is called pneumococcal. Along with pneumonia, this bacteria can cause:. This bacteria can also create bronchitis , which is different than pneumonia.
Just like the common cold, pneumonia can be viral or bacterial. Viral pneumonia can transfer from person to person. One of the most well-known forms of viral pneumonia is the flu virus , which is easily spread and causes a wide variety of symptoms.
Viral pneumonia tends to heal quicker than bacterial or fungal pneumonia and is often less severe. It also makes up about one-third of all pneumonia diagnoses each year.
While anyone can catch pneumonia, some people are more likely to come down with illness when coming into contact with the germs. Like many other illnesses, pneumonia is caught through contact with the bacteria or virus that creates pneumonia.
While pneumonia can be acquired at any age, the following groups are most likely to experience severe cases:. When it comes to pneumonia, there are a few things you can do to decrease the likelihood of spreading the infection, along with preventing yourself from getting pneumonia in the first place. These recommendations are similar to the techniques for avoiding the flu. Pneumonia can be infectious anywhere from 24 hours up to two weeks after starting antibiotics.
For many people, their cough will continue beyond these two weeks. While the preferred method for covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze is into a tissue, not everyone can get to tissues in time when the urge to cough or sneeze hits. Coughing or sneezing into your elbow will decrease the chances of your leaving traces of your infection on door handles, faucets, or anything else you touch. One of the best things you can do when recovering from pneumonia is to limit your contact with others.
Currently, two pneumonia vaccines are available in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC recommends children younger than 2 years, adults older than 65 years, and anyone of any age who struggles with certain chronic health conditions or has an autoimmune disorder receive one of these vaccines.
The vaccines include:. There are two essential things to remember when it comes to pneumonia:. While pneumonia is often easily treatable with at-home care, in certain situations, a delay in seeking professional help may result in a worse condition or possibly even death. Pneumonia symptoms vary by age group but tend to include fever, cough, restlessness, fatigue, aches, shortness of breath, vomiting, bluish tint on lips or skin, chest pain, and headaches. Most cases of pneumonia can be treated at home with rest, fluids, prescription medication, gargling salt water, running a humidifier, and stopping smoking.
Prescription medications include antibiotics, nebulizers, antivirals, and antifungals depending on the type of penumonia. For more severe cases, treatment at a hospital might be necessary, especially for elderly individuals or those with underlying conditions or severe symptoms.
Many people recover from pneumonia within one week but others need additional time. Some people can take a month to recover and others are mostly recovered but have lingering fatigue after other symptoms have subsided. Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Yale Medicine. Valley Fever. Updated December 2, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Pneumococcal vaccination. Once the fever associated with the illness is gone, the pneumonia is less likely to be contagious. Coughing can continue for several weeks due to lingering inflammation, even after effective treatment. Getting medical treatment can reduce the duration of illness and the risk of spreading it to other people. If your fever returns or if lingering symptoms fail to go away, ask a healthcare provider for advice. Some pneumonias are preventable. Vaccinations are available to prevent pneumonia caused by some viruses and bacteria.
Also, living a healthy lifestyle by eating a balanced diet and regularly exercising can minimize the risk of contracting pneumonia. Routine exercise can increase lung health and resistance to infections. A healthy lifestyle also includes refraining from smoking and drinking too much alcohol to help keep the immune system healthy. Getting plenty of rest and drinking water is yet another way to help prevent illnesses like pneumonia.
Practicing thorough hand washing can also reduce your exposure to germs that can cause pneumonia, especially during cold and flu season.
If you cough or sneeze, do your best to do so into a disposable tissue or the elbow of your sleeve, followed by washing your hands. Be sure to disinfect frequently used surfaces such as telephones, countertops, and doorknobs to prevent the spread of germs that can cause pneumonia.
Lastly, if people in your community are sick, do your best to practice social distancing when possible. Reducing your exposure to bacteria and viruses while living a healthy and active lifestyle can play an essential role in maintaining wellness.
Skip to main content Search for a topic or drug. Is pneumonia contagious? By SingleCare Team May. Davis, MD. Top Reads in Health Education. What is insulin resistance? Do coffee and diabetes mix? Diabetes in women Nov. Contagious pneumonia comes in several different forms, including the following:. These types indicate the type of pathogen that initially affected the lung and caused the disease. Some people also describe pneumonia in terms of where a person acquired it, such as hospital-acquired pneumonia or community-acquired pneumonia.
A person can spread the germs that cause pneumonia when he or she coughs and expels the bacterial or viral infections that caused the disease. The droplets containing the virus or bacteria can land on a common surface, such as a table, telephone, or computer. You could also breathe in the droplets and bring them into your own breathing tract. The time that a person may pass along pneumonia varies depending on the type and how he or she acquired it. Additionally, some types of pneumonia are much more contagious than others.
Two examples of highly contagious strains of this illness are mycoplasma and mycobacterium. Once a person who has pneumonia starts on antibiotics, he or she only remains contagious for the next 24 to 48 hours. This can be longer for certain types of organisms, including those that cause the disease tuberculosis.
In that case, someone can remain contagious for up to two weeks after starting on antibiotics. When someone has viral pneumonia, the contagious period starts to subside when the symptoms do. This is particularly true of fever.
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