Viral pneumonia is an infection in the lungs caused by a virus, causing inflammation of the lower airways, which makes gas exchange difficult, resulting in symptoms such as fever, shortness of breath and cough, which worsen over time.
Viral pneumonia is mainly caused by the flu virus, mainly affecting children and the elderly. However, other viruses, such as H1N1, H5N1 or coronavirus, for example.
Pneumonia: what it is, symptoms, types, causes and treatment
The treatment of viral pneumonia is carried out by a pulmonologist, general practitioner or pediatrician, and usually involves rest, increased fluid intake, use of medication to alleviate symptoms and, in the most serious cases, hospitalization.
Viral pneumonia symptoms
The main symptoms of viral pneumonia are:
- Dry cough, which evolves into a cough with clear, white or pinkish phlegm;
- Headache or sore throat;
- Chest pain;
- Difficulty breathing;
- Fever of up to 39ºC;
- Tremors or chills;
- Muscle pain, tiredness or weakness;
- General malaise.
Symptoms of viral pneumonia may appear a few days after contact with the virus, and worsen as the days go by.
In older people, symptoms of pneumonia may also include mental confusion, extreme tiredness, and lack of appetite, even if there is no fever.
In the case of babies, parents may suspect pneumonia when flu symptoms take a long time to pass or worsen throughout the week, such as fever that does not subside, constant coughing, lack of appetite, very rapid breathing that causes the wings to open exaggeratedly. nose, for example. Know how to identify the symptoms of pneumonia in babies.
How to confirm the diagnosis
The diagnosis of viral pneumonia is made by a pulmonologist, general practitioner or pediatrician through assessment of symptoms, health history and physical examination by listening to the lungs with a stethoscope, to check for noises during breathing.
To confirm the diagnosis, the doctor must request a chest X-ray or computed tomography to evaluate the lungs and which part is affected.
Make an appointment with a pulmonologist in the region closest to you:
If necessary, the doctor may request samples of respiratory secretions from the nose and throat, for analysis in the laboratory, which should ideally be collected by the 3rd day of the illness, but which can be collected up to the 7th day after the onset of symptoms. , to identify the virus.
What is the difference between bacterial and viral pneumonia?
Viral pneumonia differs from bacterial pneumonia in that it generally has a more sudden onset, produces more transparent or white phlegm, in addition to having other signs of viral infection, such as nasal congestion, sinusitis, eye irritation and sneezing, for example.
Furthermore, the causative agent of these pneumonias is different, while viral pneumonia is caused by viruses, bacterial pneumonia is caused by bacteria, which also results in different treatments. Learn more about bacterial pneumonia.
Possible causes
Viral pneumonia is caused by viruses that cause inflammation in the lungs, hindering gas exchange, resulting in symptoms.
The main viruses that can cause viral pneumonia are:
- Influenza A, B and C, and parainfluenza;
- Respiratory syncytial virus;
- Rhinovirus, adenovirus or hantavirus;
- Measles virus;
- Coronavirus;
- H1N1 or H5N1.
Furthermore, other viruses that can cause viral pneumonia are varicella zoster virus or herpes virus, for example.
How transmission happens
Viral pneumonia viruses can be transported in droplets of saliva or respiratory secretions that remain suspended in the air from one infected person to another.
Although viruses related to viral pneumonia are easily transmitted from one person to another, the person does not always develop pneumonia, most of the time they develop symptoms of a cold or flu, as the immune system is capable of fighting this virus.
How the treatment is carried out
The treatment of viral pneumonia must be carried out under the guidance of a pulmonologist, general practitioner or pediatrician, who may recommend rest and increased hydration, and the use of analgesic or antipyretic medications to alleviate symptoms.
Furthermore, the treatment of viral pneumonia or flu caused by the H1N1, H5N1 or coronavirus viruses may also involve the use of antiviral medicines prescribed by a doctor, such as oseltamivir, zanamivir and ribavirin, for example.
In more serious cases, hospitalization may be necessary to administer medication into the vein and use an oxygen mask. Find out more details about how viral pneumonia should be treated.
See the following video for more details on how viral pneumonia is treated:
How to prevent
To prevent viral infections of any type, it is very important to keep your hands clean, washing or using alcohol gel, whenever you go to public places, such as buses, shopping malls and markets, in addition to avoiding sharing personal objects, such as cutlery and glasses. .
The flu vaccine, administered annually, is also an important way to avoid infection with the main types of viruses. See when to get the flu vaccine.
Furthermore, another vaccine available for use in pregnant women is the respiratory syncytial virus vaccine, which helps prevent bronchiolitis or serious respiratory infections in the baby.
Viral pneumonia in babies
Viral pneumonia in babies should always be treated under the guidance of a pediatrician, to avoid complications or secondary bacterial infections.
Therefore, it is important to take some precautions during the baby’s treatment, such as:
- Inhale with saline solution 2 to 3 times a day or according to your pediatrician’s instructions;
- Encourage the baby to breastfeed or eat, giving preference to fruit, breast milk or formula;
- Give water to the baby, who has already introduced food;
- Dress the baby according to the temperature, avoiding sudden changes in temperature;
- Avoid using cough medicines that have not been recommended by your pediatrician, as they can facilitate the accumulation of secretions in the lungs;
- Do not give acetylsalicylic acid (Aspirin or AAS) to the baby as it can cause Reye’s syndrome.
In the most serious cases, where the baby does not want to eat, is short of breath or has a fever above 39ºC, the pediatrician may recommend hospitalization to receive oxygen, intravenous medication and IV fluids while he is unable to eat.
