Medical Treatment

If you are diagnosed with a viral pneumonia, an antibiotic will not help you get better faster. Antibiotics work only on illnesses caused by bacteria. Your best treatment is to rest and keep yourself hydrated.

• If your doctor suspects your pneumonia is caused by an influenza virus, you may get a prescription for an anti-flu medicine. It must be started within 36 hours of the beginning of symptoms to help. Four drugs are available: amantadine (Symadine), rimantadine (Flumadine), and oseltamivir (Tamiflu) are pills or capsules. Zanamivir (Relenza) is a powder that you inhale directly into your lungs.

• Varicella pneumonia is almost always serious enough to need treatment with acyclovir (Zovirax). You can take this drug by mouth or, if you are severely ill and in the hospital, by IV.

• Respiratory syncytial virus usually needs just treatment of the symptoms. If you are sick enough to be in the hospital, you might be treated with ribavirin (Rebetol).

• Treatment of adenovirus and parainfluenza virus pneumonia is also just to relieve symptoms.

• Because your lungs are weakened, your doctor may use an antibiotic to prevent you from developing a bacterial pneumonia.