Is Pneumonia Contagious?

Pneumonia is a lung infection that involves inflammation, fluid, or pus collecting in the lungs. There are many different types of pneumonia, and the specific type can determine the risk of severity, symptoms, and even treatment options.

Some, but not all, types of pneumonia are contagious—meaning you can catch the infection from others. Those types include bacterial pneumonia, viral pneumonia, and walking pneumonia. Here's what you need to know about the contagious forms of pneumonia.

Catching Pneumonia

Pneumonia becomes transmitted to other people by inhaling respiratory droplets from someone with a pneumonia infection. The droplets may end up in the air from coughing, sneezing, or talking.

Other ways for pneumonia to spread may come from other methods of close contact, such as:

• Sharing drinks or utensils with an infected person
• Taking care of a person with pneumonia
• Touching a tissue from an infected person
  

Types of Contagious Pneumonia

Not all types of pneumonia are contagious; however, the types that are include:

• Atypical pneumonia, a mild case of pneumonia also known as walking pneumonia that can be the result of bacteria or viruses
• Bacterial pneumonia, caused by bacteria
• Viral pneumonia, caused by viruses
  

However, aspiration, chemical, and fungal pneumonia are not contagious. Their causes are due to inflammation from food or liquid, chemical fumes, and fungi, respectively.

How Long Is Pneumonia Contagious?

The length of time pneumonia is contagious depends on two main factors—the type of pneumonia a person has and the cause. For example, you may no longer be contagious with viral pneumonia when your pneumonia symptoms begin to disappear.

Are You Contagious on Antibiotics?

You are contagious for 48 hours following the start of antibiotic treatment for bacterial pneumonia. That time period is also based on when your fever goes away along with the antibiotics.

When To Seek Medical Care

Seek medical care if you have any signs of pneumonia. A healthcare provider can examine you and determine what's making you sick so you can receive the correct treatment. It's especially important to get immediate medical attention for the following symptoms of pneumonia:

• Bluish lips and fingertips
• Chest pain
• Coughing with severe or worsening mucus
• High fever

Also, anyone can get pneumonia, but some people have a higher risk of severe pneumonia compared to others. Those people include children under two years old or people 65 and older, smokers, and people with:

• Alcohol and drug misuse
• Chronic lung diseases like COPD or cystic fibrosis
  
• Difficulty swallowing
• Exposure to certain chemicals, pollutants, or toxic fumes, including secondhand smoke
• History of a recent respiratory infection, like a cold, laryngitis, or the flu, or recent hospitalization
• Serious chronic illnesses, like heart disease, diabetes, and sickle cell disease
• A weakened immune system due to HIV/AIDs, an organ transplant, chemotherapy, or long-term steroid use
  

How To Prevent the Spread of Pneumonia

To prevent the spread of pneumonia, it's important to engage in careful hand hygiene. That means washing your hands often with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

Doing your best to avoid people who are sick to lower your risk of pneumonia is another prevention method. It's also helpful to stay away from others when you're sick.

You'll also want to ensure you:

• Clean and disinfect high-contact surfaces
• Cough or sneeze into a tissue, your elbow, or your sleeve
• Limit exposure to cigarette smoke or quit smoking
• Receive and maintain treatment for existing medical conditions you may have, like asthma or heart disease

Vaccination

Also, getting vaccinated is a critical way to prevent the spread of pneumonia. A few different vaccines, including for pneumonia, can significantly lower your risk of getting an infection. You may be able to get these vaccines as long as you are eligible and a healthcare provider gives you the all-clear.

Pneumonia Vaccine

Two vaccines are available to prevent infections from the pneumococcus bacteria, the most common type of bacteria that causes pneumonia pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) and the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23). These are usually recommended for adults over the age of 65 or older, people with chronic diseases, and people who smoke.

Flu Vaccine

Getting a flu vaccine can be beneficial for reducing the likelihood of having pneumonia. The flu is a possible cause of a person developing pneumonia—though most flu cases do not progress to pneumonia. However, pneumonia can be more severe following a flu infection.

Other Vaccines

Additional vaccines can be helpful for pneumonia prevention. One is the COVID vaccine, which can lower the risk of severe COVID infection. Pneumonia can be a potential complication in more severe cases of COVID.

Hib stands for Haemophilus influenzae type b, a type of bacteria that can cause pneumonia and meningitis. The Hib vaccine is recommended for all children under the age of five in the U.S. and is given to babies as young as two months old.

A Quick Review

Not all forms of pneumonia are contagious, but the types that are include bacterial, viral, and walking pneumonia. How long a person with one of these types of pneumonia is contagious depends on the type and, for bacterial pneumonia, on antibiotic treatment.

See a healthcare provider if you have pneumonia symptoms—particularly if you have a high risk of developing a serious pneumonia infection. However, know that you can help prevent the spread of pneumonia with options like vaccination, proper handwashing, and avoiding others when sick or if they are sick.