Question

1. A patient comes into the hospital complaining of having symptoms that looks like to be a streptococcal infection. When treated at the hospital it was determined the patient has streptococcus. However, after 3 days of being in the hospital the patient is now showing symptoms of having pneumonia. How is this possible? How did this pattern of infection take place? Talk about the immune system and the reasoning behind these diseases.

Answer 1

Pneumococcal disease is an infection caused by a type of bacteria called streptococcus pneumonia. When these bacteria invade the lungs, they can cause pneumonia. They can also invade the bloodstream, causing bacteremia, and /or invade the tissues and fluids surrounding the brain and spinal cord, causing meningitis. The body's immune system helps fight off harmful bacteria and viruses. A person with a normal, healthy immune system is typically able to recover from pneumonia after treatment with antibiotics and rest. Humoral immune responses against streptococcus pneumococcal infection. Streptococcus pneumoniae has been shown to activate phagocytic cells and then be destroyed through different mechanisms.