SYMPTOMS
ACUTE BRONCHITIS AND BRONCHIOLITIS
The main symptom of acute bronchitis is a cough that cannot be explained by an existing long-term lung condition.
Bronchiolitis causes babies and infants to have prolonged symptoms of wheeze and cough, lasting for weeks and months after the first symptoms.
INFLUENZA
The usual form of influenza can result in symptoms of fever, muscle pain, headache, cough, sore throat and a blocked nose. If the infection is more severe it can lead to pneumonia.
PNEUMONIA
People with pneumonia experience a cough along with other symptoms such as fever or breathlessness without an obvious cause.
CAUSES
Infections are caused by tiny organisms, known as bacteria or viruses. There are millions of organisms that surround us.
Viruses are carried in tiny droplets and are passed between people when someone with the virus coughs or sneezes. People who are infected produce antibodies to fight the virus. Once they have fought of this strain, they will be able to fight it if infected again. However, over time, the virus can change into different forms, which means the body may not have the right antibodies to fight it again.
ACUTE BRONCHITIS AND BRONCHIOLITIS
Almost 90% of cases of acute bronchitis are related to viruses such as influenza and the rhinovirus. Less than 10% are linked with bacteria.
Bronchiolitis is most often caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in infants and babies.
INFLUENZA
There are three influenza viruses A, B and C. A has the biggest impact, B causes less severe illness and C does not cause any illness in humans.
When a new strain develops that people have no resistance to, it can spread across the world. This was the case during the ‘swine flu’ outbreak in 2009.
PNEUMONIA
The most common cause of pneumonia in adults is a bacterium called Streptococcus pneumonia. Viruses can also cause pneumonia, most commonly the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in small children, and sometimes influenza. Hospital-acquired pneumonia is caused by germs in a hospital, whereas community-acquired pneumonia is caused by different germs in the community.
TREATMENT
One way to treat in an infection is through drugs known as antibiotics. Antibiotics should only be prescribed when necessary or antibiotic resistance can develop.
Antibiotic resistance is when bacteria is regularly exposed to the same drug over time and will eventually mutate and develop resistance to this drug. Using antibiotics to treat mild illnesses unnecessarily speeds up the problem of antibiotic resistance, than if the drugs were only used in severe cases.
ACUTE BRONCHITIS AND BRONCHIOLITIS
People who suspect they have bronchitis do not need to visit a doctor for a diagnosis, unless they have severe or persistent symptoms. Most cases of acute bronchitis do not require drugs to treat the condition and the symptoms can be managed at home by getting rest and drinking fluids. Antibiotics have no effect on viruses so are not prescribed to treat acute bronchitis.
Bronchiolitis is diagnosed by monitoring the symptoms and analysing a child’s breathing. Babies infected with the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) usually require supportive care but no medication. In extremely severe cases, they are given antiviral drugs.
INFLUENZA
People who are fit and healthy do not need to visit a doctor to diagnose flu. It is usually possible to treat the symptoms of influenza at home with rest and drinking plenty of water. Antiviral drugs are also used to treat influenza in people who are at risk of other complications. A doctor will diagnose flu based on symptoms and medical history if a person is at risk.
PNEUMONIA
An x-ray can be used to check for pneumonia and is likely to show shadowing on the lungs if the infection is present. Antibiotics are used to treat pneumonia and different approaches should be used according to the risk of the person and severity of the illness.
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