Pneumonia & how it can affect those who are immuno-suppressed.
With the sad and unexpected passing of Sam Neill this week, from Pneumonia - the reality is that Pneumonia is still a very dangerous infection to succumb to, specially if your immunity has been compromised, possibly from chemo and/or immunotherapy. It is still a dangerous infection ANYWAY, as we age! Yes, they can treat Pneumonia with Penicillin/Antibiotics .... but it only treats Bacterial Pneumonia - not Viral Pneumonia. The outpouring of grief for Sam Neill's passing is huge, after being declared Cancer Free just 3 months ago! I think many of us have almost 'grown up' with him being in the movies (if you are around my age - 73) & more recently, online so often during Covid, singing songs & generally being funny, just to give everyone a lift. He was that kind of man. He was a kind man. My brother was a personal friend of his for 50+ years, having met him in London, before he became famous. Please, Make sure you are up to date with the Pneumonia & RSV Vaccines! AND - if you DO come down with a cold/flu and the symptoms get worse with chest pains & difficutly breathing ... see your GP or if you are really in distress, just call for an ambulance. https://lungfoundation.com.au/lung-diseases/respiratory-infections/pneumonia/ https://www.healthywa.wa.gov.au/Articles/N_R/Pneumonia Pneumonia is the 4th most common cause of death GLOBALLY .... The top 5 causes of death worldwide, according to the World Health Organization, are: Ischaemic Heart Disease: The leading cause of death globally, responsible for approximately 16% of total world deaths. 2. Stroke: A major cerebrovascular condition that ranks as the second biggest killer worldwide. 3. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): A progressive respiratory disease that accounts for millions of global mortalities. 4. Lower Respiratory Infections: The world's most deadly communicable disease group, primarily affecting the lungs. 5. Alzheimer's Disease and other dementias: The fifth leading cause, heavily impacting the aging global population. More info from the Mayo Clinic: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pneumonia/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20354210 The different types of Pneumonia that can develop from a Flu, RSV or other conditions - are described here: https://hudson.org.au/disease/inflammation/pneumonia/ Know what to look for - Take care, stay well xx