• Question: how can someone get lung infection?

    Asked by sufmed to Chris, Eva, Michael, Paddy, Philip on 16 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Michael Wharmby

      Michael Wharmby answered on 16 Jun 2011:

      Good question, I don’t know! I’d guess bacteria get breathed in and start breeding in the lungs, but I’d have to ask someone with more biological training.

    • Photo: Paddy Brock

      Paddy Brock answered on 16 Jun 2011:

      Most of the time, lung infections are caused by breathing in a tiny airbourne water droplet that contains bacteria or virus. There are bacteria and viruses and fungal spores in the air around us all the time, but usually they don’t cause infections. However, if you’re unlucky and a “pathogenic” bacteria or virus (i.e. one that can make you ill) gets into your lungs, it can start reproducing and maybe even entering the cells, establishing an infection. Your immune system then responds and tries to attack and kill the invaders, which is what makes you feel ill.

    • Photo: Chris Jordan

      Chris Jordan answered on 16 Jun 2011:

      I’d go with those answers – someone coughs something nasty and you breathe it in. Or it could be around in the environment – so if your immune system is not working well – you’re in trouble.

    • Photo: Philip Denniff

      Philip Denniff answered on 16 Jun 2011:

      Paddy has given a very good answer that leaves me little room to add anything else.

      There are not that many points in the body through which bacteria and virus (not sure what the plural is) can enter. The lungs are one of the weak points, they are nice and warm and wet, ideal conditions for bacteria to grow. In the lungs the blood vessels come right up close surface so oxygen can be taken in. If the pathogen can make that short jump into the blood stream you will get very sick very quickly.

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