Before the discovery of antibiotics, pneumonia was one of the leading causes of death among humans. Nowadays, it can be easily be cured with only a few pills prescribed by a doctor. However, this condition is hard to prevent so it can still create problems for many people. It is important for people to understand what causes this condition in order to avoid it.

Pneumonia is an infection of the tissues from one or both lungs, caused by bacteria or viruses. This condition is contagious because it spreads through the air we breathe, thus making it difficult to avoid. Also, the microorganisms that cause this condition can be found in food and drink.

The first symptoms of are intense coughing and sneezing. Through coughing and sneezing, a very large number of viruses are spread in the air on a large area. What can be done in this case is to cover your mouth and try not to breathe that air or ask the person who sneezed or coughed to cover his or her nose or moth.

The most often met bacteria that cause pneumonia are streptococcus, staphylococcus and haemophilus.

Pneumonia can be acquired at any time and by anyone in the daily duties, at work, at school or at shopping. Yet, a higher risk of exposure to pneumonia is represented by hospitals or exposure to certain chemicals, poison or smoke.

The risks are increased for those people that smoke, drink alcohol, use drugs, have an impaired immune system or are older than 60 years. Pneumonia can also be fatal to those that already suffer from another condition that damages the defense mechanism of the human body.

Because pneumonia can be contacted anywhere in the daily life, it is best to avoid infected people and consult a doctor when the first symptoms appear and don't respond to normal medications. If the condition is discovered in its early stages, it can easily be cured with antibiotics and won't require hospitalization or home resting.