Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung affecting primarily the microscopic

air sacs known as alveoli. Typical signs and symptoms include a varying severity and
combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and trouble breathing,
depending on the underlying cause.
Pneumonia is usually caused by infection with viruses or bacteria and less commonly by
other microorganisms, certain medications and conditions such as autoimmune
diseases.[4][5] Risk factors include other lung diseases such as cystic fibrosis, COPD,
and asthma, diabetes, heart failure, a history of smoking, a poor ability to cough such as
following a stroke, or a weak immune system.[6] Diagnosis is often based on the
symptoms and physical examination. Chest X-ray, blood tests, and culture of
the sputum may help confirm the diagnosis. The disease may be classified by where it
was acquired with community, hospital, or health care associated pneumonia.
Vaccines to prevent certain types of pneumonia are available. Other methods of
prevention include handwashing and not smoking. Treatment depends on the
underlying cause. Pneumonia believed to be due to bacteria is treated with antibiotics. If
the pneumonia is severe, the affected person is generally hospitalized. Oxygen
therapy may be used if oxygen levels are low.
Pneumonia affects approximately 450 million people globally (7% of the population) and
results in about 4 million deaths per year. Pneumonia was regarded by William Osler in
the 19th century as "the captain of the men of death". [16] With the introduction of
antibiotics and vaccines in the 20th century, survival improved. Nevertheless, in
developing countries, and among the very old, the very young, and the chronically ill,
pneumonia remains a leading cause of death. Pneumonia often shortens suffering
among those already close to death and has thus been called "the old man's friend".
Bronchitis is inflammation of the bronchi (large and medium-sized airways) in
the lungs.[1] Symptoms include coughing up mucus, wheezing, shortness of breath, and
chest discomfort.[1] Bronchitis is divided into two types: acute and chronic. Acute
bronchitis is also known as a chest cold.
Acute bronchitis usually has a cough that lasts around three weeks. In more than 90%
of cases the cause is a viral infection. These viruses may be spread through the air
when people cough or by direct contact. Risk factors include exposure to tobacco
smoke, dust, and other air pollution. A small number of cases are due to high levels of
air pollution or bacteria such as Mycoplasma pneumoniae or Bordetella
pertussis. Treatment of acute bronchitis typically involves
rest, paracetamol (acetaminophen), and NSAIDs to help with the fever.
Chronic bronchitis is defined as a productive cough that lasts for three months or more
per year for at least two years. Most people with chronic bronchitis have chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Tobacco smoking is the most common cause,
with a number of other factors such as air pollution and genetics playing a smaller
role. Treatments include quitting smoking, vaccinations, rehabilitation, and often
inhaled bronchodilators and steroids. Some people may benefit from long-term oxygen
therapy or lung transplantation.
Acute bronchitis is one of the most common diseases. About 5% of adults are affected
and about 6% of children have at least one episode a year. In 2010, COPD affects
329 million people or nearly 5% of the global population. In 2013, it resulted in 2.9
million deaths, up from 2.4 million deaths in 1990.
Silicosis (previously miner's phthisis, grinder's asthma, potter's rot and other
occupation-related names) is a form of occupational lung disease caused by
inhalation of crystalline silica dust, and is marked by inflammation and scarring in the
form of nodular lesions in the upper lobes of the lungs. It is a type
of pneumoconiosis.
Silicosis (particularly the acute form) is characterized by shortness of breath, cough,
fever, and cyanosis (bluish skin). It may often be misdiagnosed as pulmonary
edema (fluid in the lungs), pneumonia, or tuberculosis.
Silicosis resulted in 46,000 deaths globally in 2013 down from 55,000 deaths in
1990.
The name silicosis (from the Latin silex, or flint) was originally used in 1870 by
Achille Visconti (18361911), prosector in the Ospedale Maggiore of Milan. The
recognition of respiratory problems from breathing in dust dates to ancient Greeks
and Romans. Agricola, in the mid-16th century, wrote about lung problems from dust
inhalation in miners. In 1713, Bernardino Ramazzini noted asthmatic symptoms and
sand-like substances in the lungs of stone cutters. With industrialization, as opposed
to hand tools, came increased production of dust. The pneumatic hammer drill was
introduced in 1897 and sandblasting was introduced in about 1904, both significantly
contributing to the increased prevalence of silicosis.
Obstructive lung disease is a category of respiratory
disease characterized by airway obstruction. Many obstructive diseases of
the lung result from narrowing of the smaller bronchi and larger
bronchioles, often because of excessive contraction of the smooth muscle
itself. It is generally characterized by inflamed and easily collapsible
airways, obstruction to airflow, problems exhaling and frequent medical
clinic visits and hospitalizations. Types of obstructive lung disease
include; asthma, bronchiectasis, bronchitis and chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease (COPD). Although COPD shares similar characteristics
with all other obstructive lung diseases, such as the signs
of coughing and wheezing, they are distinct conditions in terms of disease
onset, frequency of symptoms and reversibility of airway obstruction. Cystic
fibrosis is also sometimes included in obstructive pulmonary disease.
Influenza, commonly known as "the flu", is an infectious disease caused by an influenza virus. Symptoms can be
mild to severe. The most common symptoms include: a high fever, runny nose, sore throat, muscle
pains, headache, coughing, and feeling tired. These symptoms typically begin two days after exposure to the virus
and most last less than a week. The cough, however, may last for more than two weeks. In children, there may
be nausea and vomiting, but these are not common in adults. Nausea and vomiting occur more commonly in the
unrelated infection gastroenteritis, which is sometimes inaccurately referred to as "stomach flu" or "24-hour flu".
[5]
Complications of influenza may include viral pneumonia, secondary bacterial pneumonia, sinus infections, and
worsening of previous health problems such as asthma or heart failure.
Three types of influenza viruses affect people, called Type A, Type B, and Type C. Usually, the virus is spread
through the air from coughs or sneezes.[1] This is believed to occur mostly over relatively short distances. It can also
be spread by touching surfaces contaminated by the virus and then touching the mouth or eyes. A person may be
infectious to others both before and during the time they are showing symptoms. The infection may be confirmed by
testing the throat, sputum, or nose for the virus. A number of rapid tests are available; however, people may still have
the infection if the results are negative. A type of polymerase chain reaction that detects the virus's RNA is more
accurate.
Frequent hand washing reduces the risk of infection because the virus is inactivated by soap. Wearing a surgical
mask is also useful. Yearly vaccinations against influenza are recommended by the World Health Organization for
those at high risk. The vaccine is usually effective against three or four types of influenza. It is usually well tolerated. A
vaccine made for one year may not be useful in the following year, since the virus evolves rapidly. Antiviral
drugs such as the neuraminidase inhibitoroseltamivir, among others, have been used to treat influenza. Their benefits
in those who are otherwise healthy do not appear to be greater than their risks. No benefit has been found in those
with other health problems.
Influenza spreads around the world in a yearly outbreak, resulting in about three to five million cases of severe illness
and about 250,000 to 500,000 deaths. In the Northern and Southern parts of the world, outbreaks occur mainly in
winter while in areas around the equator outbreaks may occur at any time of the year. Death occurs mostly in the
young, the old and those with other health problems. Larger outbreaks known as pandemics are less frequent. In the
20th century, three influenza pandemics occurred: Spanish influenza in 1918 (~50 million deaths), Asian influenza in
1957 (two million deaths), and Hong Kong influenza in 1968 (one million deaths). The World Health
Organization declared an outbreak of a new type of influenza A/H1N1 to be a pandemic in June 2009. Influenza may
also affect other animals, including pigs, horses and birds.
Emphysema is a long-term, progressive disease of the lungs that primarily causes shortness of
breath due to over-inflation of the alveoli (air sacs in the lung). In people with emphysema, the
lung tissue involved in exchange of gases (oxygen and carbon dioxide) is impaired or
destroyed. Emphysema is included in a group of diseases called chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease or COPD (pulmonary refers to the lungs). Emphysema is called an obstructive lung
disease because airflow on exhalation is slowed or stopped because over-inflated alveoli do not
exchange gases when a person breaths due to little or no movement of gases out of the alveoli.

Emphysema changes the anatomy of the lung in several important ways. This is due to in part
to the destruction of lung tissue around smaller airways. This tissue normally holds these small
airways, called bronchioles, open, allowing air to leave the lungs on exhalation. When this tissue
is damaged, these airways collapse, making it difficult for the lungs to empty and the air (gases)
becomes trapped in the alveoli.

Normal lung tissue looks like a new sponge. Emphysematous lung looks like an old used
sponge, with large holes and a dramatic loss of springy-ness or elasticity. When the lung is
stretched during inflation (inhalation), the nature of the stretched tissue wants to relax to its
resting state. In emphysema, this elastic function is impaired, resulting in air trapping in the
lungs. Emphysema destroys this spongy tissue of the lung and also severely affects the small
blood vessels (capillaries of the lung) and airways that run throughout the lung. Thus, not only is
airflow affected but so is blood flow. This has dramatic impact on the ability for the lung not only
to empty its air sacs called alveoli (pleural for alveolus) but also for blood to flow through the
lungs to receive oxygen.

COPD as a group of diseases is one of the leading causes of death in the United States.
Unlike heart disease and other more common causes of death, the death rate
for COPD appears to be rising.