“Can pneumonia spread from the patient to the caregivers?”
My mother in law has been diagnosed with pneumonia. Is there a chance we (her caregivers) can get it as well? How should we prevent this?
2 Answers
There are some causes of pneumonia which are communicable and many that are not. Clinically you won't be able to distinguish the two. For the ones that can be spread it is primarily through respiratory droplets. So to protect yourself you would use contact precautions with a barrier such as a gown or apron and gloves. For respiratory droplets you can wear a mask for close contact or stay more than six feet away without a mask. Hand washing and protecting mucous membranes (eyes, nose, mouth, etc) is key to prevention. Avoid directing being coughed or sneezed on. Most contagious pneumonias come from viruses or atypical bacteria infections and often they cause more systemic symptoms similar to flu.
This is a good question. Most cases of bacterial pneumonia have low probability of being spread to caregivers. The types of bacterial pneumonia that do spread easily are typically identifies and people in close contact with these individuals are contacted by infection control agencies who are automatically notified for such cases. Viral pneumonia can typically spread easily to people in close contact but don't typically have as big of an impact on those without chronic medical disease and strong immune systems.
Jack Stephens, MD
Jack Stephens, MD
