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Anthony Ademiluyi
Health experts have cautioned Nigerians against taking pneumonia disease lightly, noting that the infection of the lung is dangerous and can cause sudden death when not treated early and properly.
Pneumonia, the experts noted, is caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites and is worse in young children and adults older than 65 years.
They also added that pneumonia could be contracted through infected water, objects, and food.
Speaking with our correspondent, the experts, Registrar, Family Medicine, Department of Health – Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, South Africa, Dr. Aniekan Edet, and Specialty Doctor, Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Dr. Ayobami Yusuff, said pneumonia often spreads through contact with people who have it and in some cases can be contracted through devices in the hospital when they are put in the airways, or even from a contaminated air conditioner.
Speaking with PUNCH HealthWise, Dr. Edet said that pneumonia caused by chemicals is called Pneumonitis, adding that this generally spread through droplets from cough or sneezing, which may be in the air or unclean hands and surfaces.
He, however, noted that while pneumonia affects adults and children, it could be more deadly in children due to their low level of immunity.
He said: “The bodies of children have not developed immunity to some of the organisms that adults already have immunity to due to previous exposure. So, there are ‘minor’ age-related differences but in all cases, they are infections of the lungs.
“The commonest causes of pneumonia differ in children, adults less than 65 years, and those older than 65. The severity also differs. However, COVID-19 increased the number of adults affected by pneumonia. It appears to be returning to pre-COVID-19 levels now, though I have no studies to quote for this. Nevertheless, while COVID-19 pneumonia was worse in adults with co-morbidities like diabetes, heart disease, etc, most other causes of pneumonia are worse in young children and adults older than 65 years”.
Dr. Edet stressed the need for more enlightenment of Nigerians on how to prevent pneumonia, noting that as with most health conditions, preventing the health condition is better than seeking treatment.
He urged Nigerians to embrace cough etiquette like turning away when coughing, coughing into the elbow instead of the palms, and regular hand washing.
He also urged Nigerians to embrace the use of face masks, maintain good immunity and seek treatment early when diagnosed with pneumonia.
Also speaking with our correspondent, Dr. Yusuff reiterated that pneumonia is an inflammation of the lungs caused by an infection, noting that the health condition should not be taken lightly in children and adults.
He also noted that pneumonia is more common in children.
He said, “Pneumonia is more common in children, especially those under the age of five years because they have a less developed immune system, they frequently come in contact with dirt and contaminated surfaces, they have less capacity to stay away from infected people when they come in contact with one, and they are also more likely to put things in their mouths which can end up in their lungs”.
He explained that there aren’t many differences between pneumonia in children compared to adults.
He, however, noted that while an adult may be able to describe his symptoms better, a child is more likely to end up in the hospital as an emergency case for the health condition.
He urged Nigerians should be alert to pneumonia symptoms and promptly seek diagnosis and treatment to avert complications.
“The general signs and symptoms of pneumonia include cough (may or may not bring out phlegm), high fever, difficulty in breathing, chest pain, feeling tired, loss of appetite, small noticeable noises when breathing, and general body weakness,” he said.
On why there seem to be more reported cases of pneumonia-related death among adults in recent times, he said, “This could be due to many reasons – there’s an increasing trend in adults who smoke and smoking can increase the risk of any type of pneumonia. Another thing is widespread environmental pollution, smoke, and contaminants from different sources in the air, these cause inflammation of the lungs.
“Other things include overcrowding, medical conditions that weaken immunity, some special types of drugs, and even delayed diagnosis and treatment. These could lead to more cases, hospital admissions, and increased mortality rates. It is also important to note that there are increasing levels of resistance to antibiotics which can lead to ineffective treatment, and again increased morbidity and mortality.”
While reiterating that pneumonia could be worse in children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems, he added that the type of organism causing particular pneumonia can also determine the severity due to the availability of treatment for such.
He also stressed the importance of preventing the health condition.
He said, “Prevention of pneumonia is simple though it may be difficult to eliminate infection risk. However, a good prevention effort includes the involvement of everyone, including the professionals, patients, government, and other people in the community.
“The government can enact and implement legislation on smoking, pollution, and environmental degradation to make our environment safer for us. Individuals should also be educated on pneumonia, avoid smoking as no level of smoking is good or safe no matter how little, avoid overcrowding, and see professionals when they have any of the pneumonia symptoms and adhere to treatment by completing antibiotics when prescribed.”
Speaking further, he noted that while pneumonia can easily be diagnosed, there are conditions that mimic it.
“For example, during the peak of the pandemic, a lot of pneumonia cases were thought to be COVID-19, flu can also mimic pneumonia. Doctors and other approved professionals are well-trained in identifying the condition, they understand the condition, and its causes and are also able to treat it effectively. So, when in doubt see a doctor to get diagnosed. The doctor may do some examinations like using a stethoscope on your chest, they can also ask for blood or sputum tests, x-rays, and other things depending on the need of the patient. Most cases of pneumonia are caused by viruses and may thus not require an antibiotics prescription.”
According to a study published online by BioMed Central (2022), a child dies of pneumonia every 39 seconds globally. The study also noted that the risk and repercussions of pneumonia are more prevalent in poor and middle-income nations.
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