Is Bronchitis Contagious?
There are two types of bronchitis: acute (acute) and chronic. Epidemiological studies show that chronic is long-lasting and complex, and can affect up to 11 percent of the population aged 20-70.
Types of bronchitis
To answer the question of whether bronchitis is contagious, we must first precisely define the two different types of bronchitis mentioned above. In short, acute bronchitis is contagious, but chronic is not. Let us now explain why this is the case.
Acute bronchitis
According to the Medicina de Urgencias, up to ten million people visit a doctor each year because of this condition. So it can be said that it is quite a common disease.
According to other important sources, acute bronchitis is caused by a virus in 90% of cases (including adenovirus, influenza, parainfluenza, RSV, or herpes virus). The remaining 10% is caused by pneumococcal bacteria. As you can see, this disease is quite contagious in nature.
According to the aforementioned sources, acute bronchitis occurs seasonally because it is associated with viral infections. Therefore, it occurs most during the winter months, as the cold and dry climate directly affects the higher prevalence of the virus.
Consider, for example, influenza, whose infectivity rate, or RO, appears to be around 1.3, according to the New York Times. This means that every person infected infects the flu in about 1.3 people. Therefore, these types of epidemiological indicators apply to acute bronchitis.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the symptoms of acute bronchitis are as follows:
- Fatigue
- Breathing difficulties
- Low fever and chills
- Cough
- Chest pain
Note that acute bronchitis usually heals on its own. It lasts for about 10-14 days after the first symptoms.
Despite the pathogen, acute bronchitis can also occur non-infectious in certain conditions such as allergies, inhalation, and reflux disease. Therefore, not all acute bronchitis is contagious, but most are.
Chronic bronchitis
The main feature of this long-term disease is recurrent airway inflammation with secondary lesions. As the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute reports, a persistent cough can last for several months. In addition, it is renewable, so it can return for two or more consecutive years.
This type of bronchitis has nothing to do with pathogens. The Mayo Clinic claims that as many as 75 percent of cases are due to smoking. Other risk factors may include asthma, cystic fibrosis, age, or genetic predisposition. It can also be part of a serious disease called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine , symptoms in chronic bronchitis can be more severe and long-lasting than in the acute version. Here are the most common symptoms:
- Prolonged and repeated irritation
- Whistling sound when inhaling
- Shortness of breath, especially during exercise
- Feeling of pressure in the chest
Although the causes of this disease are usually not contagious, it is not always true. This type of bronchitis can also be caused by microorganisms such as pneumococcus, hemophilus influenza, Moraxella catarrhalis and Mycoplasma pneumoniae.
The risk of complications from respiratory infections increases in people who have had a tracheostomy or in patients with a weakened immune system.
How to prevent bronchitis?
To answer this question, we can first state that acute bronchitis is usually contagious, but chronic is not. Therefore, prevention methods depend on the type of disease.
According to the Mayo Clinic, there are still things to consider in preventing the disease, these are:
- Avoid close contact with people who have the flu or related symptoms. The viruses are transmitted by coughs and microparticles of saliva secreted during sneezing.
- Wash your hands often with soap, especially during the winter months and epidemics.
- Do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth until you have washed your hands.
- Get the flu vaccine if you are at risk (for example, if you are over 65).
As you can see, these actions prevent acute bronchitis because it is more contagious than chronic. At this point, it should already be clear that non-smoking is the best way to avoid this disease.
Is bronchitis contagious?
Contrary to popular belief, the two types of bronchitis do not differ because of the cause, but because of the duration of the disease. Therefore, not all acute cases are due to pathogens, and not all chronic ones are due to smoking. There are exceptions. However, typical flu viruses are often in the form of an acute version.
Finally, always contact your doctor if you have a cough that has lasted for more than a few weeks, as it may be bronchitis or some other upper respiratory illness.
