cold in lungs symptoms :: Article CreatorMore Than Just A Cold: Understanding The Respiratory Syncytial Virus
According to Dr Leong, vaccination works by stimulating the immune system to produce antibodies. The RSV vaccine contains a protein from the respiratory syncytial virus. When administered, it triggers the immune system to respond, creating protection that helps stave off severe infection.
"In randomised controlled trials, a single dose of RSV vaccine has shown moderate-to-high effectiveness in preventing RSV-associated pneumonia during RSV season. Notably, this effectiveness was sustained the next year, indicating that yearly vaccination might not be required," said Dr Leong.
He added that since May this year, an RSV vaccine has been available in Singapore for older adults over the age of 60.
The Health Sciences Authority has recently approved another RSV vaccine that provides protection not only for older adults, but also infants through maternal immunisation. Dr Mas shared: "Pregnant women can receive a single dose of the RSV vaccine approved for maternal immunisation between weeks 32 and 36 of pregnancy."
Dr Mas explained that maternal immunisation protects both the mother and her baby. It stimulates the production of antibodies that can cross the placenta, conferring protection to the infant from birth, when they are at the highest risk of severe RSV.
"In a study conducted in 18 countries, maternal immunisation was shown to be effective in preventing severe RSV-associated lung disease in infants. The vaccine demonstrated an efficacy of 81.8 per cent within 90 days after birth, and 69.4 per cent within 180 days after birth, with no safety concerns identified," she elaborated.
Both doctors noted the importance of adopting a prevention mindset, aligning with the goal of protecting loved ones from severe RSV complications.
"RSV is a life-threatening infection that can cause significant despair for families," said Dr Leong. "Doctors may be limited in their treatment options, making prevention through vaccination one of the most effective methods to safeguard health."
Speak to your doctor to learn more about RSV.
This article is sponsored by Pfizer Singapore. The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the expert(s), speaker(s) or participant(s) featured herein. This material is intended for educational and/or disease awareness purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for consulting a healthcare professional. For more information, speak to a healthcare professional. References are available upon request.
PP-RES-SGP-0032/09SEP2024
Symptoms Of Bronchitis
Your bronchial tubes, which carry air to your lungs, can get infected and swollen. When that happens, it's called bronchitis. Symptoms of this condition include a nagging cough, and you might cough up mucus that's yellow or green.
There are two types of bronchitis:
Acute bronchitis. It is the more common type. Symptoms last a few weeks, but it doesn't usually cause any problems beyond that.
Chronic bronchitis. This keeps coming back or doesn't go away at all. It's more serious and is part of a group of conditions called "chronic obstructive pulmonary disease," or COPD. You're more likely to have this if you smoke.
The symptoms of bronchitis result from inflammation in the bronchial tubes. (Photo Credit: iStock/Getty Images)
Symptoms of acute bronchitis
Acute bronchitis usually starts when you have inflammation in your airways due to a cold, COVID-19, or other respiratory infections. In fact, you might hear it called a chest cold.
Its symptoms are similar to those of other conditions that affect your lungs and breathing. Bronchitis often starts with cold symptoms — your nose is runny, your throat sore, and you feel run-down. But one of the hallmark signs of bronchitis is a hacking cough that lasts 5 days or more. Here are some other symptoms:
A runny or stuffy nose Clear, yellow, white, or green phlegm A low fever at times Tenderness or soreness in your chest when you cough Constant tiredness Whistling or wheezing while you breath A rattling feeling in your chest Chills You usually recover from acute bronchitis in about 7-10 days, though your cough may last a bit longer.
Symptoms of chronic bronchitis
If your symptoms last longer than 3 months, you may have a chronic case. Your symptoms may improve, then worsen, from time to time. But they never really go away. Cold weather can set them off.
The symptoms are similar to those of acute bronchitis and include:
A stubborn cough that produces phlegm, lasts at least 3 months, and happens at least 2 years in a row Shortness of breath Chest tightness or discomfort Abdominal pain See your doctor if you have symptoms of acute bronchitis and also have ongoing lung, heart, or other medical problems or are infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
Also call your doctor if:
Your cough is so frequent or bad that you can't sleep well or do your daily activities. You cough up blood or mucus. Your cough lasts longer than a week. In otherwise healthy people, a cough from acute bronchitis can last 3 weeks. Your mucus becomes darker, thicker, or increases in volume. Your cough has a barking sound and makes it hard to speak. You also have unexplained weight loss. Call 911 if you have chest pain or difficulty breathing.
A cold isn't the only condition with symptoms that can look like those of bronchitis. Others include:
Asthma
Like bronchitis, an asthma attack can cause coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and a feeling of tightness in the chest. But asthma doesn't cause a cough that produces mucus, a runny or stuffy nose, chest pain, fever or chills, or body aches — which are all symptoms of bronchitis.
It's possible to have both conditions at the same time. Having asthma puts you at a higher risk of getting bronchitis.
Bronchiectasis
Bronchiectasis is permanent scarring of the airways caused by repeated or serious infections or lung disease.Both bronchiectasis and bronchitis can cause:
Coughing Mucus in the lungs Shortness of breath Wheezing Bronchiectasis sometimes causes clubbed fingernails (swollen fingers with curved nails) and coughing up blood.
Bronchiolitis
Bronchiolitis is an inflammation of smaller airways (bronchioles) that branch off the bronchi. It's caused by an infection, usually respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and is most likely to affect young children. Symptoms include coughing, shortness of breath, and irritability. It usually clears up in about a week.
COVID-19
COVID is one of the infections that can trigger acute bronchitis. The two conditions also share several symptoms, including:
Coughing Trouble breathing A sore throat Fatigue Fever COVID doesn't usually cause wheezing, though. And it can cause you to lose your senses of smell and taste, which usually doesn't happen with bronchitis.
Emphysema
Emphysema is a condition that happens when air sacs in your lungs, called alveoli, are damaged. The damage may come from long-term smoking, pollution, or infections. Your genes can also play a role. Its symptoms include shortness of breath, wheezing, a lasting cough, and increased mucus.
Like chronic bronchitis, emphysema is a type of COPD. You can have the two conditions together.
Heart failure
Chronic heart , which happens when your heart isn't pumping enough blood to meet your body's needs, can cause discomfort or pressure in your chest. It can also cause shortness of breath, fatigue, and a long-lasting cough. Other symptoms may include swelling of your legs, ankles, feet, and belly, as well as a fast or irregular heartbeat. See your doctor if you have these symptoms.
Pneumonia
While bronchitis is inflammation of the airways to your lungs, pneumonia is a more serious inflammation of the lungs themselves. It's caused by infection with a virus, bacteria, or fungi. Pneumonia causes swelling and fluid in your lung sacs (alveoli), making it harder to breathe. Along with coughing and trouble breathing, symptoms may include a high fever, chills, and nausea.
Any time you have a fever above 100.4 F and a loss of appetite, wheezing or shortness of breath, and general achiness, you should see your doctor right away.
You get bronchitis when the bronchial tubes that carry air to your lungs get infected and swollen. This leads to coughing, excess mucus, and other symptoms. Bronchitis can be acute, which means it lasts for a short time, or chronic, which means it lasts at least 3 months and keeps coming back. See your doctor if you have a cough that lasts longer than a week.
How long do acute bronchitis symptoms last?
In most cases, symptoms of acute bronchitis last from a few days to a couple of weeks and go away on their own. But recovery could take up to 6 weeks. See your doctor if you have symptoms for longer than 3 weeks.
Do chronic bronchitis symptoms go away?
While symptoms of chronic bronchitis get better from time to time, they never fully go away. The condition may get worse as time goes on.
Can bronchitis turn into pneumonia?
You could get an infection that causes both conditions. But bronchitis doesn't normally turn into pneumonia.
Do you need antibiotics for bronchitis?
Acute bronchitis is most often caused by a viral infection, which antibiotics can't treat. But if your doctor thinks a bacterial infection caused your bronchitis, they may recommend antibiotics.
Whooping Cough Outbreak Hits CA As U.S. Cases Surge To Pre-pandemic Levels
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- California is in the midst of a whooping cough outbreak, as the CDC reports a nationwide surge.
It's raising concerns for those most vulnerable to the bacterial disease. It spreads through air droplets that can live on clothes and surfaces for up to five days. The symptoms often begin as a common cold and progress into coughing fits that can last for weeks.
The cough's scariest sound is that of young lungs gasping for air, who are most vulnerable to the infection.
Symptoms include a cough that sounds like "whoop," a runny nose and nasal congestion.
Pertussis is "called whooping cough because as the diaphragm squeezes the lungs to try to get all that stuff out, it forcefully pushes the lungs up," said pediatric hospitalist Dr. Gabrielle Pina at Loma Linda University Children's Health.
Even scarier is when you can't hear infants breathing.
"They develop apnea because the diaphragm literally can't do that. So they just stop breathing for 20-plus seconds, which is terrifying," Pina said.
The CDC reports a 10-year high in whooping cough cases with more than 17,000 reports so far.
Americans are experiencing five times as many cases as compared to last year, with many in California.
"It looks like it's coming back with a vengeance," Pina said.
Pertussis numbers are returning to pre-pandemic levels, a time when masks and social isolation were more common and many families skipped childhood vaccines.
"If you are in a community that does not get regularly vaccinated, you're at high risk for getting these vaccine-preventable illnesses like pertussis," she said.
Babies less than a year old are at the greatest risk of developing an infection and severe complications, with a third of them ending up in hospitals.
Pertussis is a respiratory tract infection that can usually be treated by antibiotics, but only prevents the bacteria from spreading further.
Adults, especially the immunocompromised and the elderly, need a Tdap booster vaccine every 10 years, while pregnant women are recommended to get it at 27 weeks gestation.
"Because we really want those third trimester stores of the antibodies to cross into the babies so that they have the most protection," Pina said.
Pina expects cases to rise even more and recommends getting vaccinated, keeping newborns at home and avoiding crowds.
"Wash your hands. Wash your hands. And if you feel ill at all, please wear a mask because you're helping to prevent the spread," said Pina.
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