Hospital-Acquired
Hospital-acquired pneumonia, otherwise known as nosocomial pneumonia, is gotten by patients that are on admission to treat other illnesses. This type of infection may be more serious than others because the bacteria may have grown resistant to antibiotics and those who are already infected have weak immune defenses from pre-existing conditions. Patients confined to breathing machines have a higher risk of contracting this infection compared to others. This infection is usually contracted between two to three days of their stay at the hospital and is usually caused by bacteria rather than fungi or viruses.
It is caused by the microaspiration of bacteria that clog the oropharynx and upper airways in chronically ill patients. Chest pain, phlegm, shortness of breath, and cough are some of the common symptoms of this infection and it may take up to six months to fully recover.