Amantadine, an antiviral agent, has proved helpful in reducing the symptoms and the duration of influenza A, and is also used to help prevent it. Pneumonia Return to top Pneumonia, an inflammation of the lungs, is usually caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, mycobacteria, mycoplasma, or rickettsia. Pneumonia is a serious matter because the infection may interfere with the lung's very important function of exchanging oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood. In some cases, the resulting sputum may be minimal and off-white in color. Sometimes the patient produces abundant amounts of yellow, green, or brown sputum.
Viral pneumonia is treated symptomatically with adequate liquids and bed rest.
Severe cases may require humidified oxygen therapy and mechanical ventilation. The treatment of bacterial pneumonia must also include appropriate antibiotics. There is a vaccine available to prevent the most common bacterial form of this disease. Though they fill most of the chest, the lungs perform their crucial task at an almost microscopic level. Starting at the trachea, or windpipe, the air passages within the lungs divide and redivide into ever smaller branches, or bronchioles, finally terminating in 300 million minute air sacs called alveoli.