Pneumonia: The cost of delayed diagnosis could be fatal

From the waiting lounge of the outpatient department of Kibagabaga Hospital, a feeble cry from one of the consultation rooms accompanied by coughing and whizzing could be heard. It was a teenage boy. His face is pale. “He has chills last night and the coughing was intense but now, he looks weak,” the mother said. The boy labours to breath. These were purely signs of pneumonia, according to the health workers. Pneumonia is an infection in one or both lungs. The infection may be caused fungi, bacteria, or viruses. The disease causes inflammation in the lung’s air sacs (alveoli). These alveoli are filled with fluid or pus, making it difficult to breathe. Symptoms of pneumonia can range from mild to life threatening. The severity of the infection depends on the cause of the inflammation or by the type of organism causing the infection, a person’s age, and their general health. Dr Dan Jackson of Rutongo Hospital in Rulindo District said several signs and symptoms may be realised on infection, including high fever, convulsion, cough with phlegm, shortness of breath with normal daily activities, chest pain when you breathe or cough, suddenly feeling worse after a cold or the flu. Other symptoms may include, nausea (feeling sick to the stomach), vomiting, and diarrhoea. Newborns and infants may not show significant signs of the infection. Or, they may vomit, have a fever and cough, or appear restless, sick for just a few days,Dr Jackson said. Pneumonia is a treatable disease. But some people, especially those in high-risk groups, may have complications such as, bacteraemia, a serious complication that occurs when the infection moves into the bloodstream. From there, it can quickly spread to other organs such as the brain. Dr Alphonse Umugire, a clinical director at Kibagabaga Hospital, says diagnosis of pneumonia is hard because in most cases the symptoms are confused to be those of a cold or the flu. The infection may cause a serious alarm after lasting longer. Doctors are usually interested in finding about the signs and symptoms, how and when they began. It is important to find out what type of germ is causing the pneumonia. The disease can be diagnosed by a blood test. The number of white blood cells can show whether you have a bacterial infection. Your doctor also may recommend a blood culture to find out whether the infection has spread to your bloodstream. This test is used to detect germs in the bloodstream. A blood culture may show which germ caused the infection.