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Are All Types Of Pneumonia Contagious?
Question: Dear doctor,
Are all pneumonias contagious? If so, will taking antibiotics for 3 days stop the possibility of spreading it?
Are all pneumonias contagious? If so, will taking antibiotics for 3 days stop the possibility of spreading it?
Brief Answer:
All pneumonias are not contagious in a healthy population
Detailed Answer:
Hi xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Thanks for writing in to us.
1. Pneumonia is a broad term used to signify lung infections. It can be caused by bacteria causing acute pneumonia, viruses, fungus and bacteria causing chronic pneumonia.
2. Therefore all penumonias are not contagious in a healthy population and certain types of pneumonia like fungus and chronic bacterial pneumonias are not completely contagious unless the other person has a weak immunity.
3. Returning to your query, I suppose you have asked regarding pneumonia in the community. This can be caused by viruses and some bacteria. Bacterial pneumonias can be controlled with a short course of antibiotics as recommended by your doctor. Viral pneumonias cannot be controlled with medicine however isolation prevents the spread of viral pneumonia.
In conclusion, if your doctor has confirmed a bacterial pneumonia then taking antibiotics for 3 to 5 days can treat it and prevent spread of infection.
Hope your query is answered.
Please do write back if you have nay doubts.
Regards,
All pneumonias are not contagious in a healthy population
Detailed Answer:
Hi xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Thanks for writing in to us.
1. Pneumonia is a broad term used to signify lung infections. It can be caused by bacteria causing acute pneumonia, viruses, fungus and bacteria causing chronic pneumonia.
2. Therefore all penumonias are not contagious in a healthy population and certain types of pneumonia like fungus and chronic bacterial pneumonias are not completely contagious unless the other person has a weak immunity.
3. Returning to your query, I suppose you have asked regarding pneumonia in the community. This can be caused by viruses and some bacteria. Bacterial pneumonias can be controlled with a short course of antibiotics as recommended by your doctor. Viral pneumonias cannot be controlled with medicine however isolation prevents the spread of viral pneumonia.
In conclusion, if your doctor has confirmed a bacterial pneumonia then taking antibiotics for 3 to 5 days can treat it and prevent spread of infection.
Hope your query is answered.
Please do write back if you have nay doubts.
Regards,
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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