Latest news with #mycoplasmapneumoniae
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
After Val Kilmer's pneumonia death, what to know about the respiratory virus
Val Kilmer's death on Tuesday has sparked reminders of the risks of pneumonia. The actor, best known for his role as Iceman in "Top Gun" — along with "Batman Forever," "The Doors" and many other movies — was 65 when he succumbed to the respiratory infection in Los Angeles, The Associated Press reported. Kilmer's daughter, Mercedes, confirmed the cause of death, noting that the actor had previously recovered from throat cancer after a 2015 diagnosis. Lingering Lung Disorders 5 Years Post-covid: Here's What To Know Pneumonia is defined by Cleveland Clinic as an infection in the lungs caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi. This can cause the lung tissue to swell and create a buildup of fluid or pus in the lungs. Read On The Fox News App Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Health and Fox News' senior medical analyst, said the risk of pneumonia depends on the underlying health conditions of the patient and the strength of the person's immune system. 'I Vaped For One Year And Almost Died' "Val Kilmer had a history of throat cancer, but we don't know if he was receiving recent treatment that would have made him immunocompromised and more susceptible to severe pneumonia," Siegel told Fox News Digital. "We also don't have information on the exact kind of pneumonia he had." Most cases of community-acquired pneumonia are bacterial or viral. Bacterial pneumonia is normally more severe than viral pneumonia, according to Cleveland Clinic. Click Here To Sign Up For Our Health Newsletter It can be caused by an infection of Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria, also called pneumococcal disease. Other bacteria that can cause the respiratory condition include mycoplasma pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenza, Chlamydia pneumoniae and Legionella (Legionnaires' disease), per the above source. "Pneumococcus is a major cause of pneumonia — it can be deadly," Siegel said. "Invasive pneumococcal disease can have a death rate of up to 20% in adults." The risk of bacterial pneumonia increases with age and with chronic illness, the doctor added. Click Here To Sign Up For Our Health Newsletter Viral pneumonia can sometimes stem from viruses that include the flu, common cold, Covid-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), according to Cleveland Clinic. This type of pneumonia typically improves on its own. In less common cases, some fungi (molds) or protozoa can cause pneumonia. "The biggest concern is that it could spread into the bloodstream and cause sepsis, which is definitely life-threatening," Siegel cautioned. Atypical pneumonias are caused by mycoplasma, legionella and kinds of chlamydia (not STD) and pertussis, the doctor added. Early diagnosis and treatment is key to recovery, especially in patients at risk, Siegel said. High-risk groups include the very young, very old, immunocompromised people, those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and people who smoke. For more Health articles, visit For those over age 60, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the pneumococcal vaccine. "The effective version, known as Prevnar, can work against 20 different strains," Siegel article source: After Val Kilmer's pneumonia death, what to know about the respiratory virus
Fox News
04-04-2025
- Health
- Fox News
After Val Kilmer's pneumonia death, what to know about the respiratory virus
Val Kilmer's death on Tuesday has sparked reminders of the risks of pneumonia. The actor, best known for his role as Iceman in "Top Gun" — along with "Batman Forever," "The Doors" and many other movies — was 65 when he succumbed to the respiratory infection in Los Angeles, the Associated Press reported. Kilmer's daughter, Mercedes, confirmed the cause of death, noting that the actor had previously recovered from throat cancer after a 2015 diagnosis. Pneumonia is defined by Cleveland Clinic as an infection in the lungs caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi. This can cause the lung tissue to swell and create a buildup of fluid or pus in the lungs. Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Health and Fox News' senior medical analyst, said the risk of pneumonia depends on the underlying health conditions of the patient and the strength of the person's immune system. "Val Kilmer had a history of throat cancer, but we don't know if he was receiving recent treatment that would have made him immunocompromised and more susceptible to severe pneumonia," Siegel told Fox News Digital. "We also don't have information on the exact kind of pneumonia he had." Most cases of community-acquired pneumonia are bacterial or viral. Bacterial pneumonia is normally more severe than viral pneumonia, according to Cleveland Clinic. It can be caused by an infection of Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria, also called pneumococcal disease. Other bacteria that can cause the respiratory condition include mycoplasma pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenza, Chlamydia pneumoniae and Legionella (Legionnaires' disease), per the above source. "Pneumococcus is a major cause of pneumonia — it can be deadly," Siegel said. "Invasive pneumococcal disease can have a death rate of up to 20% in adults." The risk of bacterial pneumonia increases with age and with chronic illness, the doctor added. Viral pneumonia can sometimes stem from viruses that include the flu, common cold, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), according to Cleveland Clinic. This type of pneumonia typically improves on its own. In less common cases, some fungi (molds) or protozoa can cause pneumonia. "The biggest concern is that it could spread into the bloodstream and cause sepsis, which is definitely life-threatening," Siegel cautioned. Atypical pneumonias are caused by mycoplasma, legionella and kinds of chlamydia (not STD) and pertussis, the doctor added. Early diagnosis and treatment is key to recovery, especially in patients at risk, Siegel said. High-risk groups include the very young, very old, immunocompromised people, those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and people who smoke. For more Health articles, visit For those over age 60, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the pneumococcal vaccine. "The effective version, known as Prevnar, can work against 20 different strains," Siegel said.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Pope Francis' medical condition: What to know about bilateral pneumonia
Following Pope Francis' diagnosis of bilateral pneumonia, doctors are speaking about the condition. The Vatican announced the Catholic faith leader's diagnosis — which was reportedly confirmed via laboratory tests and chest X-rays — in a statement on Tuesday. "The polymicrobial infection, which arose on a picture of bronchiectasis and asmatiform bronchitis, and which required the use of antibiotic cortisone therapy, makes the therapeutic treatment more complex," the statement said. Pope Francis Diagnosed With Bilateral Pneumonia, Vatican Says "The chest CT scan that the Holy Father underwent this afternoon … demonstrated the onset of bilateral pneumonia that required further pharmacological therapy." Pope Francis, 88, was recently hospitalized to treat bronchitis, a condition that can lead to pneumonia. Read On The Fox News App Pneumonia is defined by Cleveland Clinic as an infection in the lungs caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi. This can cause the lung tissue to swell and create a buildup of fluid or pus in the lungs. Surge In Walking Pneumonia Affects These High-risk Groups, Says Dr. Marc Siegel Bilaterial pneumonia, also known as double pneumonia, occurs in both lungs at the same time. Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Health and Fox News' senior medical analyst, said the risk of bilateral pneumonia depends on the underlying health conditions of the patient and the strength of the person's immune system. "It also depends on the bacteria — is it a resistant, aggressive form like pseudomonas, or strep or pneumococcus?" he told Fox News Digital. "There are many causes — but in this case, I would suspect strep or pneumococcus," Siegel said. "[The pope] is not a smoker or immunocompromised, so I doubt it is staph aureus or gram-negative bacteria." Most cases of community-acquired pneumonia are bacterial or viral. Bacterial pneumonia is normally more severe than viral pneumonia, according to Cleveland Clinic. Click Here To Sign Up For Our Health Newsletter It can be caused by an infection of Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria, also called pneumococcal disease. Other bacteria that can cause the respiratory condition include mycoplasma pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenza, Chlamydia pneumoniae and Legionella (Legionnaires' disease), per the above source. Bacterial pneumonia is treated with antibiotics. Viral pneumonia can sometimes stem from viruses that include the flu, common cold, Covid-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), according to Cleveland Clinic. For more Health articles, visit This type of pneumonia typically improves on its own. In less common cases, some fungi (molds) or protozoa can cause pneumonia. "The biggest concern is that it could spread into the bloodstream and cause sepsis, which is definitely life-threatening," Siegel cautioned. The condition is also more dangerous for the elderly, the doctor added. "[The pope] is also missing part of his lung due to prior pneumonia, and the scarring can cause recurrence and make healing more difficult," he article source: Pope Francis' medical condition: What to know about bilateral pneumonia
Fox News
19-02-2025
- Health
- Fox News
Pope Francis' medical condition: What to know about bilateral pneumonia
Following Pope Francis' diagnosis of bilateral pneumonia, doctors are speaking about the condition. The Vatican announced the Catholic leader's diagnosis — which was reportedly confirmed via laboratory tests and chest X-rays — in a statement on Tuesday. "The polymicrobial infection, which arose on a picture of bronchiectasis and asmatiform bronchitis, and which required the use of antibiotic cortisone therapy, makes the therapeutic treatment more complex," the statement said. "The chest CT scan that the Holy Father underwent this afternoon … demonstrated the onset of bilateral pneumonia that required further pharmacological therapy." Pope Francis, 88, was recently hospitalized to treat bronchitis, a condition that can lead to pneumonia. Pneumonia is defined by Cleveland Clinic as an infection in the lungs caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi. This can cause the lung tissue to swell and create a buildup of fluid or pus in the lungs. Bilaterial pneumonia, also known as double pneumonia, occurs in both lungs at the same time. Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Health and Fox News senior medical analyst, said the risk of bilateral pneumonia depends on the underlying health conditions of the patient and the strength of their immune system. "It also depends on the bacteria — is it a resistant, aggressive form like pseudomonas, or strep or pneumococcus?" he told Fox News Digital. "The biggest concern is that it could spread into the bloodstream and cause sepsis, which is definitely life-threatening." "There are many causes — but in this case, I would suspect strep or pneumococcus," Siegel said. "[The pope] is not a smoker or immunocompromised, so I doubt it is staph aureus or gram-negative bacteria." Most cases of community-acquired pneumonia are bacterial or viral. Bacterial pneumonia is normally more severe than viral pneumonia, according to Cleveland Clinic. It can be caused by an infection of Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria, also called pneumococcal disease. Other bacteria that can cause the respiratory condition include mycoplasma pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenza, Chlamydia pneumoniae and Legionella (Legionnaires' disease), per the above source. Bacterial pneumonia is treated with antibiotics. Viral pneumonia can sometimes stem from viruses that include the flu, common cold, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), according to Cleveland Clinic. For more Health articles, visit This type of pneumonia typically improves on its own. In less common cases, some fungi (molds) or protozoa can cause pneumonia. "The biggest concern is that it could spread into the bloodstream and cause sepsis, which is definitely life-threatening," Siegel cautioned. The condition is also more dangerous for the elderly, the doctor added. "[The pope] is also missing part of his lung due to prior pneumonia, and the scarring can cause recurrence and make healing more difficult," he said.
