- Pope Francis, 88, is in the hospital with an infection of polymicrobial respiratory tract.
- He had bronchitis, which may have led to infection.
- Infections can be more serious for the elderly and those suffering from underlying health problems.
Pope Francis has been at the hospital in Rome since Friday, when he has received a diagnosis of infection of polymicrobial respiratory tract. Since he is 88 years old and has a lung, he faces greater risks of the condition that the average person.
The Pope is in a stable state capable of reading and working in the hospital, but the infection has a “complex clinical image” and required a change in his drug therapy, the Vatican said on Monday.
The Argentinian pope suffered from respiratory infections in the winter months and suffered bronchitis before hospitalization.
He developed an inflammation of the tissues surrounding his right lung at the age of 21, and had three pulmonary cysts and a small part of the organ removed, according to the Vatican News. The Pope was also at the hospital for various conditions, including pneumonia, during his 12 years at the head of the Roman Catholic church.
The elderly are more sensitive to pulmonary infections
Polymicrobial respiratory tract infections can be caused by a mixture of bacteria, fungi, viruses or parasites that develop in the lungs, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Symptoms include coughing, shortness of breath, high temperature, sneezing and headache.
Dr. Maor Sauler, specialist in injuries and pulmonary care at Yale University School, told the Associated Press that bronchitis can cause pulmonary infections in the elderly, those who have problems existing health or those with a low immune system.
“It probably means that he has more than one organism in his lungs,” said Savi.
The treatment depends if the infection is bacterial or viral and can take a few days to two weeks to work. It can include antibiotics if the infection is bacterial, or simply rest if it is viral.
Dr. Nick Hopkinson, the medical director of Asthma + Lung Uk, told AP Bacteria that “colonizing” someone’s respiratory tract whose lungs are damaged, making infections more difficult to treat.
These patients may need respiratory aid or physiotherapy to eliminate liquid in their lungs.
But Hopkinson added: “If they have identified special things to treat, they can treat them and he will start to recover.”
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