Pneumococcal pneumonia - Dangerous disease in children

Among respiratory diseases that cause children to be hospitalized in the summer, pneumococcal pneumonia is one of the common diseases. With characteristics appearing regardless of weather, the disease has become a burden for children's health. Identifying to prevent child illness is important for parents and the community.

The main cause of pneumococcal pneumonia is streptococcus pneumoniae, with 23 out of 83 types of shell antigen known to cause nearly 90% of pneumococcal infections in the United States. The disease occurs at all times of the year, the most susceptible people are children, the elderly and people with chronic diseases. In developing countries, children are the most vulnerable to disease and this is also one of the causes of death in children. The incidence is higher, more easily if it is associated with the flu.

Streptococcus is found in nasal secretions, throat of patients. Healthy people may also have pneumococci in the upper respiratory tract. The disease is spread by droplets from the carrier of the pathogen by direct contact or indirectly through new objects infected with the patient's respiratory secretions.

Pneumococcal image under a microscope.(Photo: SK & D)

The disease is common through human-to-human transmission, but rarely occurs in people with accidental, transient contact. Pneumococcal infection increases pneumonia if there is any cause of lower respiratory and physical function, such as influenza, pulmonary edema due to causes, sputum suction after alcohol poisoning or Other causes, chronic lung disease or exposure to airway stimulants in the air (smoke, dust .).

For children under 1 year old, especially those who suffer from sore throats, bronchopneumonia, have just experienced diarrhea . it is very susceptible to disease and is a factor that causes children to be malnourished. The risk of infection is also increased in the elderly and people with manifestations of physical or functional dysfunction, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, leukemia, multiple bone marrow tumors, and kidney failure. that pregnant women with pneumococcal pneumonia may have premature babies.

Recognize pneumococcal disease

This is an acute bacterial infection, which starts suddenly with common signs of fever, coughing up sputum, rash, chest pain, chills, pleural pain, difficulty breathing. In children, the first manifestation is usually vomiting and seizures, while in the elderly, the disease usually starts slowly. In general, bronchial manifestations are more common in the lobes and lung lobes. Pneumococcal pneumonia is one of the major causes of death in children and the elderly, especially in areas with low living conditions.

In the past, when there was no antibiotic, the mortality / morbidity rate in hospitals was 20-40%, this rate decreased to 5-10% after antibiotics were widely used. But for malnourished children, premature babies or other congenital diseases such as cardiovascular disease, acute diarrhea, the rate is still about 30%, even over 50%. Patients with alcoholism and other chronic diseases also have similar rates.

A case of emergency emergency pneumonia.(Photo: SK & D)

Early diagnosis of the cause is an important factor for treatment, the results of biological diagnosis may be inaccurate because of the presence of gram-positive bacteria along with degenerative polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Therefore, it is advisable to determine accurately by isolating pneumococcus directly from blood and secretions in the respiratory tract taken from tracheostomy.

Prevention and treatment of diseases

When children have signs of disease need to be diagnosed and treated early and must be treated immediately with antibiotics if suspected pneumococcal pneumonia based on clinical signs, especially signs of rapid breathing, withdrawal concave chest. Currently pneumococcal is a very strong antibiotic-resistant bacterium, so doctors need to consider drugs when used most effectively.

After infection, specific immunity can last for several years, especially in case of serococcal seroconversion. In order to avoid epidemic development, it should not be concentrated in a place where many people get sick, children may be cross-infected at the hospital if the same treatment room has children with this disease, so the cases mildly, should be treated outpatient. There should be a healthy living environment for children, should not let children go to crowded places, give children enough nutrients . to improve resistance.

Vaccination is currently available worldwide, but it does not appear to be effective for children under 2 years of age. Group of people at high risk is recommended to vaccinate people who are over 65 years of age, who have no spleen function, sickle cell anemia, patients with heart failure, kidney failure, cirrhosis, diabetes, organ transplantation. .

Doctor Nguyen Van Dung