WARNING SIGNS
A typical pneumonia is caused by the Legionella (Legionnaire's Disease), > Mycoplasma and Chlamydia bacteria. While atypical pneumonia is usually > associated with milder forms of pneumonia, pneumonia caused by Legionella can be quite severe and lead to high death rates.
Symptoms:
* chills
* fevers
* cough -- may be dry or produce phlegm
* headache
* muscular stiffness and aching
* shortness of breath
* loss of appetite (anorexia)
* confusion (especially with Legionella)
* rash (especially with Mycoplasma)
* diarrhoea (especially with Legionella)
Treatment:
Antibiotic therapy: In mild cases, treatment with oral antibiotics at home may be all that is required. Severe cases (especially common with pneumonia, due to Legionella) may require intravenous antibiotics and oxygen, to aid breathing . There are no proven methods for preventing it, and no vaccinations are available at this time.
Source: University of Pennsylvania Health Illustrated Enclyclopaedia
SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) is transmitted by droplets (>5 micro) but NOT by airbourne droplets (<5 micro). This means that it can only be transmitted if the patient coughs, speaks out loud etc which can force the droplets out thru the mouth in 3 feet area.
In that case, we can wear masks to protect ourselves. So what kind of mask should we use? Most believe that 3M N95 8210 mask is the most effective one. yep, it can filter up to 0.3 micro particles, definitely is useful for SARS (as it is 5 micro)but the surgical masks (green/blue in color) can also filter 5 micro particles. Therefore, it is recommended to use surgical mask which is proved to be effective and much cheaper.
Besides, there are some drawbacks in using the N95 type. It is not
recommended for those who have asthma, breathing problems and pregnant woman. As some of u who have used that before may know, the breathing resistance is very large. U may feel uncomfortable and will use yr hand to adjust it fr time to time. In this way, u will contaminate yr hand with the virus which may be present on the surface of the mask.
Therefore, we should note some important points when wearing masks. First, wash yr hands thoroughly with detergent. It's better to scratch yr hands a little bit to wash off the virus as they can be removed by physical friction.
Carefully identify the external and internal surface of the mask. The
colored face should be exposed. It is water-resistant, u can test it by adding a water droplet, it won't diffuse .
Do not touch the mask after u have put it on, the exposed part may contain virus. Do not use it for a while and then take a rest by removing it and then put it on again, in other words, it can't be reused.
Use it only when necessary or with yr common sense. e.g. It's no use to wear one at home when there're no infected or suspected patient at home.
One important thing to note is all the masks are designed for ADULTS only. That means that even children can use it, it may not fit well. Therefore, parents should make sure their children feel comfortable in using masks. If the child find it hard to breath or feel dizzy etc, he should not use it.
The paper masks with only two layers of paper is NOT useful. It will get dampened by droplets and can actually transmit the virus.
The nurse told us that there're only 3 diseases, Tuberculosis (TB),
Measles, Chickenpox which are tranmitted by airborne droplets (AIR). In that case, N95 should be used. 95 means 95 % filtration of air particles.
The company said that they use 0.3 micro particles to test the quality of the masks. N95 standard is set by the States in 1996. For those who wear this kind of masks, they need to past very stringent tests to make sure they can fit the masks correctly. ( e.g. 25 mins breathing test)
there are many causal agents of pneumonia.. in fact, pneumonia is just a term for the symptoms as observed at the start of the post.
Legionalla is a bacteria, not a virus and therefore anitbiotics are useful against it. SARS is caused by a virus and so far no known cure has been discovered.
SARS: What you need to know about this disease
News reports may have you worried about contracting Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), a potentially fatal pneumonia-like illness first recognized in February in Asia. The cause of the illness -- and thus the effective treatment -- is still under intense investigation. However, other facts about the illness are actually somewhat reassuring.
Based on the currently available information, here's what is important to consider:
How prevalent is it? SARS has spread to three continents since the outbreak first came to the attention of health authorities. As of March 28, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was investigating 51 possible U.S. cases, which have been reported in 21 states. As of late March, there were more than 1,400 cases of SARS reported worldwide, with 53 deaths.
How does it spread? SARS appears to be transmitted only through close contact--caring for or living with a person with the disease, or coming in direct contact with an infected person's respiratory secretions or bodily fluids. The bulk of new cases has occurred in health care workers and close family contacts of SARS patients. SARS is not likely to spread through casual contact in public places or contact with an object touched or coughed on by someone with the disease.
What should I look for? The CDC and the World Health Organization (WHO) point to these factors:
Fever above 100.4° F, possibly accompanied by chills, headache, body aches, or all three.
Coughing, difficulty breathing, or both within three to seven days of the onset of fever. Travel within 10 days of the onset of symptoms to Hong Kong, Singapore, China's Guangdong province, or Hanoi, the four areas where most of the cases have occured; or close contact with someone who may have SARS within 10 days of the onset of your symptoms.
A person with the above symptoms plus the recent travel history is likely a victim of SARS. Anyone who experiences a high fever and difficulty breathing, regardless of possible exposure to SARS, should seek medical attention immediately.
What causes SARS? World health officials believe that SARS is caused by a virus, not by a bacterium. The CDC reported on March 24 that it had identified a potential cause as an extremely virulent member of the Coronavirus family, the same group of viruses that cause the common cold. Researchers are also studying a second virus family, Paramyxovirus.
