Pneumonia is an infectious disease that affects the respiratory system by causing the air pouches in your lungs to get filled with fluid making it difficult for an individual to breathe normally. It is one of the most common infections, globally and fatally kills more children than any other infectious disease and is responsible for more than half of the deaths of children below five years of age.

There are many factors that can increase your chances of getting sick and getting a more serious illness. The risks associated with pneumonia are higher if you are aged 65 years or older, suffer from a chronic medical health condition like heart disease, diabetes and lung disease, or you are a chain smoker or exposed to chemicals, pollutants, toxic fumes and second hand smoke.

The common symptoms of pneumonia in adults include cough with green, yellow mucus or mucus with blood, fever, sweating and shaking chills, shortness of breath, severe chest pain when you breathe or cough, nausea and vomiting.

It must be noted that the symptoms of pneumonia may vary from mild that you barely notice it to severe and one must take any symptoms that may occur during the course of the illness to prevent prolonged suffering.

Pneumonia can be both bacterial and viral, it spreads from person to person contact through sneezing, coughing, common cold and flu.

There are some useful steps that one can follow to stop and prevent the spread of pneumonia. These include following personal hygiene such as washing your hands regularly, covering your mouth and nose with a handkerchief or a tissue when you cough or sneeze to prevent the spread of germs to other people and remember to throw away the tissue immediately after use.

Vaccination is the most efficient and effective method of preventing the spread of pneumonia, it encourages your body to produce antibodies and protects against the harmful disease causing germs.

It also helps if you avoid smoking and alcohol as these two vices can damage the lungs and increase the chances of getting infected.

Pneumonia is a forgotten disease that is life threatening but does not receive enough attention from the authorities, despite the high mortality rates especially among children and the elderly.

Although there are many antibiotics available to treat the disease, it is expensive and out of reach for the common man which acts as an obstacle for those who want to receive treatment and get cured.

As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure, it is upto the individual to be aware and take the necessary steps that are essential to maintain his health and wellbeing.