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Medically reviewed by Kashif J. Piracha, MD
Key Takeaways
- Pneumonia can be contagious if caused by viruses or bacteria.
- Washing your hands and covering your mouth when coughing can help prevent the spread of pneumonia.
- Pneumonia vaccines are recommended for children younger than 2 years and adults older than 50.
Pneumonia can be contagious, especially when caused by viruses or bacteria. Learn which types spread and how to protect yourself and others.
Which Types of Pneumonia Can You Catch?
Some pneumonia causes are contagious, while others are not. Not everyone who is exposed to contagious types will develop pneumonia. Some may only experience a minor illness, like a common cold.
Your illness may have developed into a type of pneumonia if you have the following symptoms:
- Fever
- Chills
- Shortness of breath
- Cough with phlegm
- Chest pain when breathing or coughing
- Diarrhea
- Nausea or vomiting
Here’s what you need to know about the different types of pneumonia and their causes:
Viral Pneumonia
Viral pneumonia can result from a virus. Viruses that may lead to pneumonia include:
- Flu virus
- Coronaviruses
- Adenoviruses
- Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
Viral pneumonia spreads through sneezing, coughing, or leaving germs on surfaces like doorknobs.
Viral pneumonia makes up about one-third of all pneumonia diagnoses each year. Once symptoms (such as fever) subside, contagiousness usually decreases, but it may not go to zero.
Bacterial Pneumonia
Bacterial pneumonia spreads from person to person through coughing, sneezing, and close contact.
A common strain causing bacterial pneumonia is Streptococcus pneumoniae, also known as pneumococcus. This pneumonia can spread before symptoms appear and can affect small areas of one lung or larger areas in both lungs.
In addition to pneumonia, this bacterium can also cause:
Bacterial pneumonia is typically contagious for around 48 hours after you’ve started antibiotics. Certain bacterial strains, however—such as the mycobacterium that causes tuberculosis—may remain contagious for several weeks after starting treatment.
Walking Pneumonia
Walking pneumonia is a type of bacterial pneumonia, mainly caused by the bacteria Mycoplasma pneumonia. It’s called walking pneumonia because symptoms may be mild enough that you can continue your daily activities.
Walking pneumonia often affects people under 40 who live or work in crowded spaces, making it easy for school children to catch.
The incubation period is generally between one to four weeks. Someone with walking pneumonia can be contagious for a couple of weeks, even after starting treatment.
Symptoms of walking pneumonia can vary, but typically include:
- Cold-like symptoms
- A low-grade fever
- Cough
Fungal Pneumonia
You can get fungal pneumonia from breathing in fungal spores that are often found in soil and, occasionally, bird droppings. While these fungal spores may cause pneumonia quickly, in some people, the illness lies dormant for months, years, or even decades. Yet others will get sick reasonably quickly.
Valley fever is a typical example of dormant fungal pneumonia. Many residents in the southwestern United States may be exposed to these spores but may not get sick.
Fungal pneumonia is usually not contagious and mainly affects people with compromised immune systems.
Aspiration Pneumonia
Aspiration pneumonia is a type of pneumonia caused by inhaling food, liquid, vomit, or a physical item into the lungs. Sometimes a bacterial infection can take hold, although this type of infection is not contagious.
Aspiration pneumonia typically affects people with a neurological problem that makes swallowing difficult—such as a stroke, brain injury, or other type of neurological disease. People under general anesthesia or who use heavy amounts of drugs or alcohol are also at risk for developing aspiration pneumonia.
Groups at Risk
Pneumonia can be acquired at any age, but the following groups are most likely to experience severe cases:
- Children less than 2 years old
- Adults more than 50 years old
- People who are immunocompromised
- Those who suffer from heart and lung conditions, including asthma
- People who smoke
- People with diabetes
How to Stay Pneumonia-Free This Season
To prevent pneumonia, follow similar techniques to those used to avoid the flu. This includes taking steps to stop spreading the illness if you’re infected.
Cover Your Mouth and Nose
While the preferred method for covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze is into a tissue, not everyone can get to tissues in time when the urge to cough or sneeze hits. If you have the urge to cough or sneeze (and a tissue isn’t available), the next best thing is to cover your mouth or nose with the inside of your elbow.
Coughing or sneezing into your elbow will decrease the chances that mucus, saliva, or infected traces of your infection are left on door handles, faucets, or anything else you touch.
Wash Your Hands
Regardless of whether you’re sick or healthy, washing your hands with soap and water is often good for your health. When you’re ill and wash your hands, you’re reducing the number of germs you can spread. When you’re healthy and washing your hands, you reduce the chance of introducing dangerous germs to your body.
Limit Contact With Others
If you are ill or recovering from pneumonia, limit your contact with others. If you’re healthy, avoid being near people infected with pneumonia.
As we learned during the COVID-19 pandemic—which can cause viral pneumonia—staying at least six feet away from others reduces the amount of viral or bacterial content you’re exposed to as you breathe or talk.
Get Vaccinated
Four pneumonia vaccines are currently available in the United States. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that children younger than 2 years, adults older than 50, and anyone of any age who is immunocompromised or struggles with certain chronic health conditions receive one of these vaccines.
There are two types of pneumococcal vaccines available:
- Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV15, PCV20, and PCV21)
- Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23)
Pneumococcal Vaccine Recommendations
Pneumonia vaccines PCV15 (Vaxneuvance), PCV20 (Prevnar 20), and PCV21 (Capvaxive) protect against 15, 20, and 21 types of bacterial pneumonia, respectively. Getting one of these pneumonia vaccines is recommended for:
- Children younger than 2 years old—as a four-part series (PCV15 or PCV20). They should receive this vaccine at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, and 12–15 months old.
- Children ages 2 to 18 years with certain medical conditions
- Adults 50 years or older whose vaccination history is unknown or who are unvaccinated
- Adults ages 19 to 64 years with certain risk factors or medical conditions
PPSV23 (Pneumovax23), which is effective against 23 types of bacterial pneumonia, is recommended for:
- Children ages 2 to 18 years with certain medical conditions
- Adults 19 years and older who received PCV15 or PCV13.
- Adults age 19 to 64 years with certain risk factors or medical conditions
- Adults ages 19 to 64 who previously received only PCV13 vaccination should get a PCV20, PCV21, or PPSV23 dose.
How Long Does Pneumonia Last?
The time it takes to recover from pneumonia varies from person to person. Some people recover quickly and can return to their regular routine after one to two weeks. Others may have symptoms that linger for a month or longer.
It is normal to experience some fatigue for a month even after the rest of your symptoms have gone away.
Some people are more likely to experience complications from pneumonia, such as respiratory failure or sepsis. These include:
- Older adults
- Very young children
- People who are immunocompromised
- People with chronic conditions such as diabetes or liver disease
Read the original article on Verywell Health
