38 yr.old male Hospitalized with Pneumonia

[momanddad]

My brother was admitted to the hospital yesterday with a severe case of pneumonia...he's on oxygen and IV (antibiotics and rehydrating, I assume-since he's not eating).  His temp was 103, and xrays of lungs pretty bad.  He's a healthy, non-smoker, 38 years old.  MY QUESTION IS:  what should the expected outcome be?  Complications/death only arise with the very young and eldery, correct?  I haven't heard of anyone being hospitalized with pneumonia in a LONG time, maybe never with his age/health.

[National Jewish]

With the limited information that you have provided, it is not possible to give an outcome.  However most healthy young men who contract pneumonia will recover.  Also they do well following recovery, with no permanent lung damage.  Death can occur at any age but is more likely in the very young, the elderly, or anyone with a weakened immune system.  The outcome is dependent on many variables including the cause of the pneumonia, the adequacy of treatment and how quickly the treatment is started.

What you can do is to make sure that your bother’s doctors are experienced at treating pneumonia.  If his response to therapy is not immediately apparent, I would request consultation with an infectious disease specialist.

[momanddad]

and now I just found out it has spread to his bloodstream!?

[sickintexas]

I was hospitalized early in Feb 2006 for pneumonia and have been ill ever since. I have missed 2 months off my job.
I cannot understand why this is lasting so long.

[flounderman]

I am a 63 old male smoker, I was hospitalized with low oxygen level,(86), and told I had pneumonia, after chest x-ray coming back okay, a mucuos culture was done and I was diagnosed with the flu.  I was in the hospital for 4 days, upon another x-ray and ct scan, I was also told I had some emphysema. I have quit smoking using the nicotine patches.  It has been 21/2 weeks now and at night I am still having night sweats horribly.  I continue to use Advair disk for breathing treatment.  The Dr. said last week when I was in for a follow-up that this was my body fighting off the flu.  Could this be the fact or is there some other underlying problem? This happens 2 or three times a night.