Pneumonia - Is It Contagious?

There is viral Pneumonia and Bacterial Pneumonia.
Yes, it can be very contagious.
The organism that causes Pneumonia, can be very contagious.

And it can be very dangerous.... ie: ending up in the hospital.

Children, often display symptoms different than adults. So there is no cut and dry 'symptoms' but a Doctor needs to listen to their chest and symptoms as a whole and or x-ray etc.

Some people with Pneumonia, "seem" normal...but they are very sick. This is called "walking Pneumonia" and it is also very dangerous.

I have had Pneumonia and so has my Mom. My Mom was 'fine' but had a fever and slight cough... it would not go away. She finally went to the Doctor... and almost ended up in the hospital.
For me, I almost did. I had to take antibiotics.

Here is a link about it per children:
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/8/T083800.asp

all the best,
Susan

The cold that led to the infection that started the pneumonia is contagious, but you can't catch pneumonia. Pneumonia, bronchitis, sinus infections, etc, all start with a cold, but become worse in an individual and aren't contagious in and of themselves. Watch your daughter for cold symptoms, but you don't have to worry about catching the daughter's lung infection.

this is from dr. sears
IS PNEUMONIA CONTAGIOUS?
Yes it is, but it is LESS contagious than most people think. The cold virus that started the cough in the first place is contagious. But the pneumonia part of the illness down in the lungs is far less contagious. People who are exposed to someone with pneumonia may catch the normal cough and cold symptoms of the virus, but usually don't progress to pneumonia. The formation of the pneumonia is not determined by the particular cold virus or bacteria that the person has, but rather by each person's susceptibility in their own lungs.

Therefore, just because someone in your house or school has pneumonia and is on antibiotics, does NOT mean everyone else in the vicinity with a cough has pneumonia. Wait and see how the illness progresses before asking your doctor for antibiotics.

It depends on the type of pneumonia. Some kinds are VERY contagious, some not at all. As susan said, their is bacterial and viral pneumonia, and then several different types within each of those.

Pneumonia that comes on a secondary infection, while technically contagious, in every day life is not practically contagious. It's a type that takes advantage of a weakened immune system, because a normal/healthy immune system can fight it off without our even being aware that we're sick. So a chemo/aids/transplant patient, or anyone else who is already *very* sick could catch it quite easily, but the rest of us it doesn't even make a blip on our radar.

Just as an example... The marine corps in it's infinite wisdom sent several of us, after being drowned a few times (for training purposes), for a 3 month winter combat course. ALL of us came down with a wicked case of pneumonia (105 temps, lungs that had to be drained by stabbing us through the ribs, etc) who had been in the rescue swimming course, but none of our platoon mates. All of us had compromised lungs (from the drowning training), so the bacteria climbed in an made itself at home. Obviously it was around, but no one with lungs that weren't recovering from drowning caught it.

No, the pneumonia is not contagious, but what ever type of cold or virus she had that turned into pneumonia could be contagious and still in her system. However, if he had a bad case of allergies and the allergy cold turned into pneumonia is would not be contagious. Basically, it depends on what she was sick with before it got so bad that it became pneumonia. I would definitely keep and eye on your child for symptoms just in case she had something contagious first. Also, usually it takes a xray to determine pneumonia.

No it is not , usually the person with pneumonia has been unwell with something else such as flu and has not been able to fight it off , and then it becomes pneumonia , your child may well get the original source but not the pneumonia.

This is not an official answer, but I was told that pneumonia itself is not contagious, but the cold or flu virus that got it started could be. My husband has had pneumonia 3 or 4 times, and it is normally not contagous, because it started from a sinus infection, which was due to his allergies. It just depends on what started it. If it got started because of allergies, which then became a sinus infection, it is probably not contagious. If it started from a cold or flu bug, then it could be. But even if she gets the cold, it does not mean that she will get pneumonia. Most people just get the cold, and get over it. Hope this helps. Thanks

Most pneumonia is a secondary bacteiral infection that happens when your body fails to fight off something like a cold or the flu. If you are prone to this, you need to be careful when you have an upper resperatory infection. I am like this, and any small illness can become a secondary bacterial infection (that I have been told is not contagous) and sometimes progresses to pneumonia. You can catch the primary virus like a cold or the flu.

I think that there is a viral pneumonia that can be spread from person to person.

Are you sure that you have the right illness? I have had a lot of pneumonia, and I usually get a chest xray to diagnose. My kids brought home a cold when school started, passed it to me, and now I have a cough, so I was just in the doctors office today, put on antibiotics, and will have to go back for a chest xray in 4 days if I am still coughing, no blood test. Maybe it was something else?

I would not be worried at all. No one in my house has ever cought pneumonia from me (and I have had it many times!)

M.

YES!!, the walking pneumonia, or mycoplasma is VERY contagious, both my kids had it this year, and were very sick - keep an eye on them, it starts with a fever and dry cough and progresses quickly to a deep chesty cough - it is treatable with antibiotics.

the other pneumonia is bacterial and is not contagious, but is more common in old and infirm people - your daycare ladys daughter more than likely has mycoplasma

Trust me, I know pneumonia! I had it 5 times in the 1st half of my pregnancy (mostly due to lower immune system) and having cystic fibrosis. But there are many forms of pneumonia - bacterial, viral, etc. It really depends on what's causing it. "Pneumonia" is really an affect of an infection (which are highly contagious). Antibiotics will treat any current bacterial pneumonia and preventing pneumonia with the vaccine can prevent any viral forms from occurring. It's difficult to "catch" it (though I wouldn't rule out impossible), so I wouldn't be too worried. Just make sure to throw tissues in the trash, wash hands frequently, at the first signs see a doctor, and take any medicines correctly and fully that were prescribed. I hope she gets better soon, and good luck!