Pneumococcus

Pneumococcal pneumonia occurs only in the lobar form. When a person's resistance is lowered, bacteria invade the lungs and inflame the air sacs. The tissue of part of a lobe of the lung, an entire lobe, or even most of all the five lobes, becomes completely filled with liquid matter. The infection quickly spreads through the bloodstream and the bacteria infects the whole body. It is the only form of pneumonia for which a vaccine is available.

The onset of bacterial pneumonia can vary from gradual to sudden. Characteristic symptoms are:

• shaking chills
• chattering
• severe chest pain
• a cough that produces rust-coloured or greenish sputum
• temperature often shoots up as high as 105°F (41°C)
• breathing and pulse rate increase rapidly
• lips and nailbeds may have a bluish cast from lack of oxygen in the blood
• mental state may be clouded or delirious