What Are the Symptoms of Fungal Pneumonia?
Fungal pneumonia is pneumonia caused by the invasion of the lungs by fungi, rather than bacteria. It is most frequently found in people with compromised immune systems. While fungal pneumonia comes in a variety of forms and can be caught by anyone, people with sound immune systems are easily treated with antifungal medication. Knowing the symptoms can help get you to treatment faster.
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Fever
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The body's immune system kicks in when fungal spores invade the capillary spaces on the border of the lung. The white blood cells of the immune system attack the pneumonia spores by surrounding and absorbing them. Unfortunately, this reaction releases cytokines, which irritate the body and produce fever and chills.
Shortness of Breath
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The fungi's attack on the lung's lining and capillaries produces fluid by-products. This fluid leaks into the alveoli passages of the lung that aids oxygen consumption, making breathing difficult for the sufferer, producing shortness of breath and a corresponding fatigue.
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Dry Cough
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As liquid pools in areas where it is unwanted, the upper portions of the throat and lungs can suffer from irritation. The result is a wracking cough, often compounded by the lung's attempt to expel liquid.
HIV Infection
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People who catch fungal pneumonia are unlikely to be healthy, even before the disease. Usually fungi are easily rejected by the body. The most common precondition of fungal pneumonia is HIV, meaning that fungal pneumonia is typically accompanied with the symptoms of HIV, even AIDS. Often, fungal pneumonia is considered a warning sign that HIV has caused AIDS.
Pneumonia Symptoms
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In addition to those symptoms specific to fungal pneumonia, sufferers can expect much of the same health issues as those facing more standard forms of pneumonia. These include sweating, chest pains, headache and muscle pain due to oxygen deprivation.
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