Pneumonia Quiz – Test your Knowledge
1. Pneumonia is not usually contagious.
True or False?
2. Walking pneumonia is generally deadly
if not treated in a reasonable amount of
time?
True or False?
3. What is pneumonia?
A) A lung infection.
B) Loosening of the lungs.
C) Advanced bronchitis.
D) An unusual result of hepatitis
4. Which is NOT a general symptom of
pneumonia?
A) Rash, peeling skin, chafing.
B) Sneezing, sore throat, cough.
C) High fever, shaking, chills.
D) Muscle pain, weakness, diarrhea.
5. Patients with pneumonia may
sometimes develop purplish skin?
True or False?
6. Pneumonia is one of the top 10 causes
of death in the United States.
True or False?
7. There is no vaccine against pneumonia.
True or False.
8. Pneumonia can be caused by a regular
influenza virus?
True or False
9. Pneumonia can be serious, but it is
rarely a life-threatening infection.
True or False?
Answers
1. False: Pneumonia is extremely contagious and is caused by breathing in small droplets that get into the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Pneumonia can also result when bacteria or viruses from the mouth, throat, or nose inadvertently enter the lung(s).
2. False: Walking pneumonia is a nonmedical term to describe a mild case of pneumonia. People who have walking pneumonia are seldom confined to bed or need to be hospitalized.
3. A: Pneumonia is an infection of one or both lungs.
4. A: Most people who develop pneumonia initially have symptoms of a cold, which are then followed by a high fever (sometimes as high as 104 degrees), shaking, and chills.
5. True: At times, the skin and nail color of an individual with pneumonia may change and become dusky or purplish. This is a condition known as “cyanosis,” which occurs as a result of low levels of oxygen in the blood.
6. True: Pneumonia is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States.
7. False: Two vaccines are available to prevent pneumococcal disease, which is one type of pneumonia. The vaccines are called Prevnar (pneumococcal conjugate vaccine) and Pneumovax 23 (pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine).
8. True: Viral pneumonia can be caused by an influenza virus and may be remedied with an antiflu medicine. Three drugs are available: rimantadine (Flumadine), oseltamivir (Tamiflu), and zanamivir (Relenza).
9. False: Pneumonia can be a serious and life-threatening infection. This is true especially in the elderly, children, and those who have other serious medical problems, such as COPD, heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers.
