Pneumonia—Flu

Also called: Grippe, Influenza

Flu is a respiratory infection caused by a number of viruses. The viruses pass through the air and enter your body through your nose or mouth. Between 5% and 20% of people in the U.S. get the flu each year. The flu can be serious or even deadly for elderly people, newborn babies, and people with certain chronic illnesses.

Symptoms of the flu come on suddenly and are worse than those of the common cold. They may include

• Body or muscle aches
• Chills
• Cough
• Fever
• Headache
• Sore throat

Is it a cold or the flu? Colds rarely cause a fever or headaches. Flu almost never causes an upset stomach. And “stomach flu” isn’t really flu at all, but gastroenteritis.

Most people with the flu recover on their own without medical care. People with mild cases of the flu should stay home and avoid contact with others, except to get medical care. If you get the flu, your health care provider may prescribe medicine to help your body fight the infection and lessen symptoms.

The main way to keep from getting the flu is to get a yearly flu vaccine. Good hygiene, including hand washing, can also help.

NIH: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

• College students and the flu (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Flu (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Flu (Influenza): Information for Parents (American Academy of Pediatrics) – PDF
• Flu (Influenza): Information for Parents (American Academy of Family Physicians) – PDF
• Flu (Influenza): Information for Parents (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) – PDF
• Pregnancy and the flu (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Your baby and the flu (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Your child and the flu (Medical Encyclopedia)

Also called: Bronchopneumonia

Pneumonia is an infection in one or both of the lungs. Many germs, such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi, can cause pneumonia. You can also get pneumonia by inhaling a liquid or chemical. People most at risk are older than 65 or younger than 2 years of age, or already have health problems.

Symptoms of pneumonia vary from mild to severe. See your doctor promptly if you

• Have a high fever
• Have shaking chills
• Have a cough with phlegm that doesn’t improve or gets worse
• Develop shortness of breath with normal daily activities
• Have chest pain when you breathe or cough
• Feel suddenly worse after a cold or the flu

Your doctor will use your medical history, a physical exam, and lab tests to diagnose pneumonia. Treatment depends on what kind you have. If bacteria are the cause, antibiotics should help. If you have viral pneumonia, your doctor may prescribe an antiviral medicine to treat it.

Preventing pneumonia is always better than treating it. Vaccines are available to prevent pneumococcal pneumonia and the flu. Other preventive measures include washing your hands frequently and not smoking.

NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

• Aspiration pneumonia (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Atypical pneumonia (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Hospital-acquired pneumonia (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Mycoplasma pneumonia (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Pneumonia (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Pneumonia – adults – discharge (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Pneumonia – children – community acquired (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Pneumonia – children – discharge (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Viral pneumonia (Medical Encyclopedia)