A member asked:

What do you suggest if i have bacterial pneumonia. what is more severe bacterial or viral pneumonia?

A doctor has provided 1 answer
Dr. Michael Depietro answered

Specializes in Pulmonary Critical Care

Antibiotics/ neither: Bacterial pneumonia requires antibiotics to treat. Pneumonia can be caused by bacteria or viruses, which are 2 different kinds of germs. The main difference is not severity, either can range from mild to life threatening. The difference is that viral pneumonia often has no specific antibiotic treatment. There are exceptions, if caught early there are meds for flu virus, for example.

Answered 5/10/2014

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