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Medical Author:

George Schiffman, MD, FCCP

George Schiffman, MD, FCCP

Dr. Schiffman received his B.S. degree with High Honors in biology from Hobart College in 1976. He then moved to Chicago where he studied biochemistry at the University of Illinois, Chicago Circle. He attended Rush Medical College where he received his M.D. degree in 1982 and was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society. He completed his Internal Medicine internship and residency at the University of California, Irvine.

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Medical Editor:

Jerry R. Balentine, DO, FACEP

Jerry R. Balentine, DO, FACEP

Dr. Balentine received his undergraduate degree from McDaniel College in Westminster, Maryland. He attended medical school at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine graduating in1983. He completed his internship at St. Joseph's Hospital in Philadelphia and his Emergency Medicine residency at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center in the Bronx, where he served as chief resident.

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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. But there are some bacteria that do not behave like standard bacteria when they cause pneumonia. These are referred to as atypical infections with organisms like Mycoplasma, Legionella, and Chlamydia. These infections do respond to antibiotics so if your physician is not certain if your infection is viral, an antibiotic may be prescribed to cover these atypical organisms.

• 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, Symmetrel), 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.

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