Pneumonia is caused by a viral or bacterial infection that fills your lungs with
mucus. This lowers the oxygen level in your blood. Symptoms of pneumonia can
include the following:
- Difficulty breathing
- "Wet" cough. Your mucus may look green or bloody.
- Chest pain
- Fever and chills
- Fatigue
For more information about lung health, check the American Lung Association's website
www.lungusa.org
, or
www.medlineplus.gov
for health information from the National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health.
You should also be aware that flu shots reduce the risk of influenza, a serious and sometimes deadly lung infection that can spread quickly in a community. Hospitals should check to make sure that pneumonia patients get a flu shot during flu season to protect them from another lung infection and to help prevent the spread of influenza in the community. Beginning December 2006, Hospital Compare will report on how well hospitals are doing at giving pneumonia patients flu shots.