There are many things that have the ability to cause walking pneumonia, which is a milder form of pneumonia, in adults. Among the most common are bacteria and viruses, although fungi and other infection-causing agents can also cause this condition. Interestingly, a person can also develop this disease due to inhalation of food or chemicals. It is important to note that a diagnosis of adult walking pneumonia does not necessarily mean there is no risk of complications or no need for treatment. Walking pneumonia may get worse in adults, and doctors usually recommend treating it with antibiotics.
In most cases, bacteria and viruses cause pneumonia in adults, although other types of infections can also cause it. For example, a person can also develop this condition as a result of fungus. Sometimes breathing in a fungus, such as Histoplasma capsulatum can cause this condition, although it is possible for a person to inhale this fungus and have no reaction.
An individual can also get walking pneumonia from another person. This illness spreads in the same way as a cold or other type of contagious respiratory infection. When an individual with walking pneumonia sneezes or coughs into the air, the droplets they emit have the potential to infect another person. You can also spread the infection through used fabrics or by touching and contaminating surfaces with the virus or bacteria that caused your case of infection. Also, a person could get it by kissing a person who is already infected with walking pneumonia.
Anyone can develop a case of walking pneumonia, but some people may be at higher risk of getting it than others. For example, a person who works or lives in a crowded environment may be more likely to catch it. This includes people who work in schools and hospitals, as well as people who live or work in prisons or homeless shelters. In places like these that have crowded conditions, it is much more difficult to avoid contagious diseases.
It is important to note that a person can develop walking pneumonia without catching it from another person. For example, an individual may develop it when he inhales a foreign body that becomes trapped in his lungs. This can happen when a person accidentally inhales food or vomit. Walking pneumonia in adults can also occur when a person breathes in a chemical that causes irritation in their airways.