The air spaces fill with pus and other liquids. Oxygen can't reach your blood. Lack of oxygen makes you breathless because your body cells and organs can't work properly. Each year, over 6,000 Canadians die from pneumonia. Alcoholics, people who are run-down, people who have just had surgery, and people with chronic lung diseases or virus infections are at a higher risk for developing bacterial pneumonia.
Most viruses attack the upper respiratory tract and some cause pneumonia, especially in children.
Most of these pneumonias are not too severe if treated properly. However, primary influenza viral pneumonia is severe and may be fatal. The virus invades the lungs and grows, but there are almost no signs of the lungs becoming filled with fluid. Most of its victims have heart problems, a lung disease or are pregnant. Mycoplasma pneumonia The smallest free-living causes of disease in humans.