Viral pneumonia is an inflammation of the lung caused by a virus. Viruses are the most common cause of pneumonia in children. Inflammation is the first response of the immune system to infection or irritation and may be referred to as the innate cascade. ... The lungs flank the heart and great vessels in the chest cavity. ... A virus is a small particle that infects cells in biological organisms. ... Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lungs. ... A male Caucasian toddler child A child (plural: children) is a young human. ...

Features

Symptoms of viral pneumonia include fever, non-productive cough, rhinitis and systemic symptoms (e.g. myalgia, headache). Different viruses cause different symptoms. The term symptom (from the Greek syn = con/plus and pipto = fall, together meaning co-exist) has two similar meanings in the context of physical and mental health: A symptom may loosely be said to be a physical condition which shows that one has a particular illness or disorder (see... Hyperthermia: Characterized on the left. ... Rhinitis is the medical term describing irritation and inflammation of the nose. ... Myalgia means muscle pain and is a symptom of many diseases and disorders. ... A headache (medically known as cephalalgia) is a condition of mild to severe pain in the head; sometimes upper back or neck pain may also be interpreted as a headache. ...

Aetiology

The more common involved viruses include: A virus is a small particle that infects cells in biological organisms. ...

• Influenza virus
• Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
• Adenoviruses
• varicella-zoster virus direct pneumonia is rare, but well recognosied is a Staphylococcal secondary infection in cases of chicken pox
• herpes simplex virus (rare)

Negatively stained flu virions. ... The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV or RS virus) causes a common viral infection of infants and young children. ... Genera Mastadenovirus Aviadenovirus Atadenovirus Siadenovirus Adenoviruses are viruses of the family Adenoviridae. ... The varicella-zoster virus (VZV), also known as human herpesvirus 3 (HHV-3), is one of the eight herpesviruses known to affect humans (and other vertebrates). ... Chicken pox, also spelled chickenpox, is a common childhood disease caused by the varicella_zoster virus (VZV), also known as human herpes virus 3 (HHV_3), one of the eight herpesviruses known to affect humans. ... The Herpes simplex virus infection (common names: herpes, cold sores) is a common, contagious, incurable, and in some cases sexually transmitted disease caused by a double-stranded DNA virus. ...

Diagnosis

Findings at physical examination are similair to those of bacterial pneumonia. The diagnosis can be confirmed by isolation and identification of the pathogen through viral culture. Chest X-ray findings are usually nonspecific. In medicine, physical examination, or clinical examination, is the process by which the physician investigates the body of a patient for signs of disease . ... Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lungs. ... A microbiological culture is a way to determine the cause of infectious disease by letting the agent multiply (reproduce) in predetermined media. ... Chest X-ray A chest X-ray is a radiological film obtained by X-ray taken of the thorax which is used to diagnose problems with that area. ...

Treatment

In cases of viral pneumonia where influenza A or B are thought to be causative agents, patients who are seen within 48 hours of symptom onset may be treated with oseltamivir or zanamivir. There is no known efficacious treatment for pneumonia caused by SARS coronavirus, adenovirus, hantavirus, or parainfluenza virus; treatment is largely supportive. Oseltamivir is an antiviral drug, a neuraminidase inhibitor used in the treatment of and prophylaxis of both influenza A and influenza B. Oseltamivir was the first orally active neuraminidase inhibitor commercially developed. ... Zanamivir is a neuraminidase inhibitor used in the treatment of and prophylaxis of both influenza A and influenza B. Zanamivir was the first neuraminidase inhibitor commercially developed. ... Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) is an atypical form of pneumonia. ... Genera Mastadenovirus Aviadenovirus Atadenovirus Siadenovirus Adenoviruses are viruses of the family Adenoviridae. ... Species Andes virus (ANDV) Bayou virus (BAYV) Black Creek Canal virus (BCCV) Cano Delgadito virus (CADV) Dobrava-Belgrade virus (DOBV) El Moro Canyon virus (ELMCV) Hantaan virus (HTNV) Isla Vista virus (ISLAV) Khabarovsk virus (KHAV) Laguna Negra virus (LANV) Muleshoe virus (MULV) New York virus (NYV) Prospect Hill virus (PHV...

See also

• Pneumonia