Pneumonia is an infection that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs.

The air sacs may fill

with fluid or pus (purulent material), causing cough with phlegm or pus, fever, chills, and
difficulty breathing. A variety of organisms, including bacteria, viruses and fungi, can cause
pneumonia.

Pneumonia can range in seriousness from mild to life-threatening. It is most serious for infants
and young children, people older than age 65, and people with health problems or weakened
immune systems.

Symptoms
The signs and symptoms of pneumonia vary from mild to severe, depending on factors such as
the type of germ causing the infection, and your age and overall health. Mild signs and
symptoms often are similar to those of a cold or flu, but they last longer.

Signs and symptoms of pneumonia may include:

 Chest pain when you breathe or cough

 Confusion or changes in mental awareness (in adults age 65 and older)
 Cough, which may produce phlegm
 Fatigue
 Fever, sweating and shaking chills
 Lower than normal body temperature (in adults older than age 65 and people with weak
immune systems)
 Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
 Shortness of breath

Newborns and infants may not show any sign of the infection. Or they may vomit, have a fever
and cough, appear restless or tired and without energy, or have difficulty breathing and eating.

When to see a doctor

See your doctor if you have difficulty breathing, chest pain, persistent fever of 102 F (39 C) or
higher, or persistent cough, especially if you're coughing up pus.

It's especially important that people in these high-risk groups see a doctor:

 Adults older than age 65

 Children younger than age 2 with signs and symptoms
 People with an underlying health condition or weakened immune system
 People receiving chemotherapy or taking medication that suppresses the immune system

For some older adults and people with heart failure or chronic lung problems, pneumonia can
quickly become a life-threatening condition.
Pneumonia is an infection that inflames your lungs' air sacs (alveoli). The air sacs may fill up
with fluid or pus, causing symptoms such as a cough, fever, chills and trouble breathing.

What Are the Symptoms of Pneumonia?

Pneumonia symptoms can vary from so mild you barely notice them, to so severe that
hospitalization is required. How your body responds to pneumonia depends on the type germ
causing the infection, your age and your overall health.

The signs and symptoms of pneumonia may include:

 Cough, which may produce greenish, yellow or even bloody mucus

 Fever, sweating and shaking chills
 Shortness of breath
 Rapid, shallow breathing
 Sharp or stabbing chest pain that gets worse when you breathe deeply or cough
 Loss of appetite, low energy, and fatigue
 Nausea and vomiting, especially in small children
 Confusion, especially in older people

Bacterial pneumonia, which is the most common form, tends to be more serious than other types
of pneumonia, with symptoms that require medical care. The symptoms of bacterial pneumonia
can develop gradually or suddenly. Fever may rise as high as a dangerous 105 degrees F, with
profuse sweating and rapidly increased breathing and pulse rate. Lips and nailbeds may have a
bluish color due to lack of oxygen in the blood. A patient's mental state may be confused or
delirious.

The symptoms of viral pneumonia usually develop over a period of several days. Early
symptoms are similar to influenza symptoms: fever, a dry cough, headache, muscle pain, and
weakness. Within a day or two, the symptoms typically get worse, with increasing cough,
shortness of breath and muscle pain. There may be a high fever and there may be blueness of the
lips.

Symptoms may vary in certain populations. Newborns and infants may not show any signs of the
infection. Or, they may vomit, have a fever and cough, or appear restless, sick, or tired and
without energy. Older adults and people who have serious illnesses or weak immune systems
may have fewer and milder symptoms. They may even have a lower than normal temperature.
Older adults who have pneumonia sometimes have sudden changes in mental awareness. For
individuals that already have a chronic lung disease, those symptoms may worsen.

When to call a doctor

If you think you or your child has symptoms of pneumonia, don't wait for the disease to get even
worse before you seek care. Call your doctor. And see your doctor right away if you have
difficulty breathing, develop a bluish color in your lips and fingertips, have chest pain, a high
fever, or a cough with mucus that is severe or is getting worse.
It's especially important to get medical attention for pneumonia if you are in a high-risk group,
including adults older than age 65, children age two or younger, people with an underlying
health condition or weakened immune system. For some of these vulnerable individuals,
pneumonia can quickly become a life-threatening condition.