January 16, 2008	Wednesday	Muharram 06, 1429

HYDERABAD, Jan 15: Renowned pulmonologist Dr. Rashid Ahmed Khan has said that pneumonia is an umbrella for an acute infection in the lungs and for a number of bacteria, viruses or fungi, or even tuberculosis.

Dr Khan, who is also the dean of Faculty of Pulmonology of the Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS), told APP that less oxygen in the blood, which leads to “air hunger” and overwhelming fatigue are the characteristics of pneumonia. The other general symptoms include cough, which may produce chills, fever, sweats, chest pain and shortness of breath, he said.

He said that the infection causes inflammation and deterioration of lungs’ function making them unable to easily transfer oxygen into the blood, thus adding to the work of breathing.

Dr. Khan informed that pneumonia occurs in people of all ages. It, however, occurs far more commonly in older people, for whom it tends to be far more serious.