Pneumonia is an acute infectious disease. The disease develops under the influence of bacteria, viruses. The incubation period of pneumonia depends on a whole group of reasons: the type of disease, immunity, age and lifestyle of a person.
Risk factors
Factors affecting the onset and duration of the disease:
- Hypothermia of the body.
- Smoking and drinking alcohol.
- Acute infectious or chronic respiratory diseases.
- Permanent stay in an ecologically polluted settlement.
- Weakened body after surgery.
- Age features (in children and the elderly, the incubation period of pneumonia is reduced).
Features for different types of disease
Medical experts have proven that the lower the immunity, the faster the infection enters the body. The main irritant and reason for the development of pneumonia is the virus. The viral form of pneumonia is divided into several types:
- Atypical. The disease develops under the influence of the following types of bacterial cells: chlamydia, mycoplasma. It is more often possible to get sick with this form in the children’s collective by airborne droplets. The disease will proceed with the following symptoms: body temperature rises to 38 degrees, discomfort in the throat and dry cough, frequent shortness of breath, lethargy and headache. Symptoms are similar to the common cold, so the doctor diagnoses inflammation only after x-rays.
- Influenza. It develops as a consequence of the flu. The fact is that during the disease in question, the body is weakened, and viruses are actively attacking it. Influenza pneumonia is considered focal and is characterized by the following symptoms: body temperature up to 41 degrees, headache, chills and aches, painful squeezing sensations in the chest, constant shortness of breath, severe cough with sputum production, runny nose. The disease can be severe and accompanied by swelling of the organs. Treatment should be with antibiotics prescribed by your doctor.
- Psittacosis. This is a focal inflammation of the respiratory system. You can get an infection with the bacterium chlamydia. You can become infected by inhaling air containing dust particles in places with significant concentrations of birds. After an infection enters the respiratory tract, the patient does not pose a danger to the environment, since it is not contagious. The incubation time lasts up to 14 days. After this time, the main signs of the disease begin to appear: high body temperature, painful sensations in the sternum when breathing, constant nausea and vomiting, incessant headache and body aches, mood changes, sore throat, nosebleeds and minor mucous discharge from the nose … A feature of this form of the disease is the possibility of re-infection, some time after the illness.
Duration of the incubation period
The incubation period consists of three main stages:
- Adaptation. Thanks to the work of immunity, viral cells reduce their numbers, and the survivors begin to master the body.
- Reproduction.
- Dissemination. At this stage, the virus spreads through the blood.
The causative agent of pneumonia in adults and children are:
- Pneumococcus;
- staphylococcus;
- streptococcus;
- klebsiella.
The type directly depends on how quickly the main signs of the disease appear.
Pneumonia, which develops due to the bacteria streptococcus, is characterized by a relatively short incubation period: from several hours to 5 days. The disease is often seen in adults and children. In infants, pneumonia may be accompanied by pyoderma (purulent skin inflammation). For treatment, as a rule, antibiotics of the penicillin group are prescribed.
Approximately the same incubation lasts for staphylococcal pneumonia: from 3 hours to 4 days. This type of disease is most common among babies under the age of three.
The most common pneumococcal pneumonia occurs, the incubation period of which takes from 1 to 3 days. The disease occurs in both children and adults. To prevent the disease in newborns, a special vaccine has been developed, which is included in the mandatory set of vaccinations.
The incubation of nosocomial pneumonia can last from 2 to 10 days. The main group of people susceptible to the disease includes:
- babies up to a year;
- people over 60 years old;
- patients with weak immunity;
- children attending kindergartens.
Factors that affect duration
The length of the incubation period can vary and depends on certain factors:
- immunity (an underdeveloped immune system enables the virus to multiply rapidly, which significantly reduces the incubation period);
- lifestyle features (busy work schedule, the presence of chronic diseases, improper diet, frequent stress);
- the number of bacteria that have entered the body.
Knowing the duration of incubation significantly helps doctors correctly diagnose and prescribe an accurate treatment regimen.
Influence of pathogens on duration
The duration of the incubation period and the method of treating pneumonia depend on the type of virus.
SARS can appear in a couple of days, but the symptoms are very similar to the common cold. It received the name “atypical” because of the structural features of pathogens: cells do not have a nucleus.
The caseous form manifests itself within a week, often against the background of various forms of tuberculosis, but it can also affect the body of a healthy person.
Staphylococcus aureus provokes the formation of congestive pneumonia, the full manifestation of which can take up to three weeks.
With any form of pneumonia, the time from the virus entering the body to the onset of symptoms for preschool and primary school children is significantly reduced. This is explained by the fact that the immune system is not yet strong enough and cannot cope with viruses.
Preventive actions
To avoid the development of pneumonia, one should not forget about the prevention of the disease. There are several effective methods:
- Hardening is necessary to strengthen the body’s immune system. The immunity of a hardened person actively fights infections. Contrasting showers, systematic dousing of feet with cool water are considered proven methods.
- Immunomodulators of natural origin will help to strengthen the immune system. Decoctions of chamomile, echinacea are suitable.
- A massage based on the patting technique. The procedure must be performed by a specialist.
- Elimination of stressful situations, overstrain and hypothermia of the body.
- Quitting bad habits (smoking, drinking alcohol).
- Correct balanced nutrition.
- Keeping the premises clean, regularly ventilated.
For prophylaxis, vaccinations should be carried out annually to exclude influenza, as complications from influenza often lead to the development of pneumonia.
Complications in the absence of therapy
Complicated pneumonia is considered if inflammation begins to develop in other organs. Complications are classified into two types:
- pulmonary;
- extrapulmonary.
Pulmonary complications include the following:
- purulent tissue inflammation;
- lung tissue necrosis;
- obstructive syndrome.
Extrapulmonary complications are characterized by:
- acute heart failure;
- inflammation of the lining of the brain;
- various forms of psychosis.
Inflammation of the lungs has different types of disease, different duration of incubation. Only a doctor after examination can determine the type of disease and choose the right treatment. In the absence of proper therapy, there is no chance that the disease will go away on its own or will be cured with home methods.