{"id":12073,"date":"2026-11-05T10:36:34","date_gmt":"2026-11-05T10:36:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.priora.eu\/news\/kako-na-vrijeme-prepoznati-upalu-plucu\/"},"modified":"2026-11-05T10:51:27","modified_gmt":"2026-11-05T10:51:27","slug":"how-to-recognise-pneumonia-early","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.priora.eu\/en\/news\/kako-na-vrijeme-prepoznati-upalu-plucu\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Recognise Pneumonia Early"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>Bacterial and viral infections<\/em><\/strong> <em>are the most common causes of pneumonia, although infections caused by other microorganisms, such as fungi and atypical bacteria, can also occur.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Pneumonia<\/strong>, an inflammation of the lungs, is a common respiratory disease most frequently caused by bacteria and viruses. It can occur in different forms, with symptoms including coughing, fever and difficulty breathing. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.priora.eu\/en\/about-us\/our-team\/zlatko-majic\/\">Dr Zlatko Maji\u0107<\/a><\/strong>, a specialist in internal and emergency medicine and subspecialist in <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.priora.eu\/en\/departments\/internal-medicine\/pulmonology\/\">pulmonology<\/a><\/strong> at the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.priora.eu\/en\/\">International Medical Centre Priora<\/a><\/strong>, explains the most common causes of pneumonia, how to recognise it and the different types of the disease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.priora.eu\/en\/about-us\/our-team\/zlatko-majic\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" src=\"https:\/\/www.priora.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Majic-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Lije\u010dnik u bijeloj uniformi gestikulira dok razgovara s pacijentom u ordinaciji, pacijent je izvan fokusa u prvom planu.\" class=\"wp-image-10131\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong>What Are the Most Common Causes of Pneumonia?<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPneumonia encompasses a heterogeneous group of infectious and inflammatory processes affecting the lower respiratory tract and the alveoli of the lungs. It can be unilateral, affecting a smaller or larger portion of the lung tissue in one lung, or bilateral, affecting both lungs,\u201d explains Dr Zlatko Maji\u0107, a specialist in internal and emergency medicine and subspecialist in pulmonology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Bacterial and viral infections<\/strong> are the most common causes of pneumonia, although infections caused by other microorganisms, such as fungi and atypical bacteria, can also occur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong>What Types of Pneumonia Are There?<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pneumonia can be classified according to various criteria. In clinical practice, the <strong>aetiological classification of pneumonia<\/strong>, based on the causative organism, is widely accepted:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Bacterial pneumonia<\/strong> \u2013 <em>Streptococcus pneumoniae<\/em> is responsible for approximately 50% of cases.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Viral pneumonia<\/strong> \u2013 accounts for approximately one-third of pneumonia cases in adults, with influenza remaining the most common cause of viral pneumonia.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Atypical pneumonia<\/strong> \u2013 the most common causative organisms include <em>Mycoplasma pneumoniae<\/em>, <em>Chlamydophila pneumoniae<\/em> and <em>Legionella pneumophila<\/em>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Based on <strong>radiological findings<\/strong>, pneumonia can also be classified as lobar pneumonia, bronchopneumonia or interstitial pneumonia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.priora.eu\/en\/departments\/internal-medicine\/pulmonology\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https:\/\/www.priora.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Pulmologija.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12068\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.priora.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Pulmologija.png 1080w, https:\/\/www.priora.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Pulmologija-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong>How to Recognise Pneumonia<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cClinically, pneumonia most commonly presents with symptoms such as a <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cough\">productive cough<\/a>, involving the expectoration of purulent sputum, fever, chills, <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Shortness_of_breath\">shortness of breath<\/a>, sharp or stabbing <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Chest_pain\">chest pain<\/a> that worsens with deep breathing, and rapid breathing,\u201d explains Dr Maji\u0107.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.priora.eu\/en\/departments\/internal-medicine\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https:\/\/www.priora.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Upala-pluca.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12069\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.priora.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Upala-pluca.png 1080w, https:\/\/www.priora.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Upala-pluca-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong>Pneumonia \u2013 What Is the Difference Between Bacterial and Viral Infections?<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The main differences between <strong>bacterial<\/strong> (typical) and <strong>viral<\/strong> (atypical) <strong>pneumonia<\/strong> are reflected in the speed of disease progression, the type of cough, laboratory findings and treatment approaches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Bacterial pneumonia<\/strong> usually begins <strong>suddenly<\/strong>, often accompanied by chills and shivering. It is characterised by a <strong>high fever<\/strong>, frequently exceeding 38.5\u00b0C or 39\u00b0C. The cough is productive, with thick, purulent, yellowish or greenish sputum. It is often accompanied by intense, sharp chest pain that worsens when taking a deep breath. <strong>C-reactive protein (CRP) levels are significantly elevated<\/strong>, often above 50 mg\/L, and <strong>white blood cell counts are also increased<\/strong>. On chest X-rays, changes are usually <strong>localised to one lung<\/strong>. Bacterial pneumonia is treated with antibiotics, such as penicillins and macrolides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In <strong>viral pneumonia<\/strong>, the onset is generally <strong>gradual<\/strong>, with symptoms developing over several days. Body temperature is mildly to moderately elevated, while <strong>the cough is typically dry and irritating, with little or no mucus production<\/strong>. Symptoms resemble those of influenza and include muscle and joint pain, headaches and general weakness. CRP levels are usually normal or mildly elevated. Chest X-rays typically show diffuse changes affecting both lungs. Treatment is generally supportive and includes rest, adequate hydration and antipyretics, or antiviral medication when indicated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong>What Happens if Pneumonia Is Not Recognised in Time?<\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSometimes, viral pneumonia can weaken the immune system and lead to a <strong>secondary bacterial infection<\/strong>. For this reason, it is impossible to establish an <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.priora.eu\/en\/departments\/internal-medicine\/pulmonology\/\">accurate diagnosis<\/a><\/strong> or distinguish between the different types of pneumonia based solely on symptoms. A <strong>medical examination using a stethoscope, blood tests and chest imaging<\/strong> are essential,\u201d concludes Dr Zlatko Maji\u0107.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Pneumonia can be bacterial or viral. Dr Zlatko Maji\u0107 from IMC Priora explains its symptoms, causes, types and the importance of early diagnosis.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":12076,"template":"","news-category":[20],"class_list":["post-12073","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","news-category-for-patients"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.priora.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/12073","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.priora.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.priora.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.priora.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12076"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.priora.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12073"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"news-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.priora.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-category?post=12073"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}