How to diagnose pneumonia

Written by Yang Feng
Pulmonology
Updated on May 05, 2025
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Pneumonia is a common infectious disease of the respiratory system. Its main diagnostic methods include routine blood tests, C-reactive protein, and pulmonary imaging, among which pulmonary imaging is the gold standard for diagnosing pneumonia. Diagnosis can also be initially inferred from the patient's clinical presentation and medical history to determine the likelihood of a pneumonia infection. Once pneumonia is confirmed, there is no need for excessive worry. Active medication to control the infection can cure pneumonia. Therefore, anti-inflammatory treatment should continue once pneumonia is diagnosed.

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The difference between Mycoplasma pneumonia and Chlamydia pneumonia

Mycoplasma pneumonia and Chlamydia pneumonia are clinically similar, making them difficult to distinguish from each other as both have similar symptoms and treatment options. Treatments such as erythromycin and quinolones can be used for both. The main difference between them lies in the laboratory tests. If tests for pneumonia, Mycoplasma antibodies or antigens are positive, then it is diagnosed as Mycoplasma pneumonia. If tests for Chlamydia pneumonia antibodies are positive, or if a throat swab test detects Chlamydia, then it is diagnosed as Chlamydia pneumonia.

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Differential Diagnosis of Pediatric Pneumonia

Childhood pneumonia needs to be differentiated from other respiratory diseases such as bronchial foreign bodies, bronchial asthma, and pulmonary tuberculosis. A bronchial foreign body generally has a history of inhalation of foreign objects, sudden choking coughs, and a chest X-ray might indicate atelectasis or pulmonary emphysema. If the foreign body has been present for a long time, the disease course is prolonged and may lead to secondary infections, similar to pneumonia or concurrent with pneumonia. The differentiation of bronchial foreign body involves detailed medical history inquiries to check for inhaled foreign objects, then using symptoms and auxiliary examinations like chest X-rays for confirmation. Bronchial asthma, especially in children, might not always present with obvious wheezing attacks but rather persistent coughing. The X-ray might show increased and disordered lung markings and pulmonary emphysema, which can easily be confused with pneumonia. Typically, children with bronchial asthma have an allergic constitution and generally require pulmonary function tests and other auxiliary examinations to differentiate from pneumonia. Pulmonary tuberculosis generally occurs in those with a history of contact with tuberculosis patients. Their tuberculin skin test is positive, and X-rays may show features of tuberculosis lesions in the lungs, which can be used to differentiate from pneumonia.

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What should a child with pneumonia eat?

Childhood pneumonia is an infectious disease that not only presents symptoms related to the respiratory system but also may include symptoms from the gastrointestinal tract, such as vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, and abdominal distension. Therefore, the diet for pneumonia must be light and easy to digest. For instance, if the child is breastfed, the mother should consume a light and digestible diet. If the child is fed with cow's milk, the milk can be diluted appropriately to aid digestion. Supplementary foods can generally include thin porridge, noodles, rice paste, vegetables, and fruits, as well as a moderate amount of lean meat and eggs, but not in excess. Oily and spicy foods should not be included.

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Are the symptoms of pneumonia severe?

Whether pneumonia symptoms are severe needs to be based on the patient's clinical presentation and the extent of infection seen in imaging studies. Through these assessments, one can generally determine the severity of the patient's infection and thus comment on the severity of the disease. Pneumonia is generally most commonly seen due to bacterial infections, but there are also instances of fungal, mycoplasma, and viral infections in clinical settings, which have become relatively more common than before. When these infections occur, it is necessary to identify the pathogen, and then choose an antibiotic susceptible to the pathogen based on bacterial culture and sensitivity tests. Generally, lung infections can be cured.

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Are pneumonia symptoms contagious?

The main clinical symptoms of pneumonia include chills, high fever, cough, expectoration, shortness of breath, chest pain, etc. Pneumonia is a common infectious disease of the respiratory system, and it can be transmitted through the respiratory tract. However, pneumonia is not classified as a contagious disease; it is merely an infectious disease. It tends to be more prevalent during the flu season, so pneumonia is contagious, but it is not considered a contagious disease.