The Vatican authorities say that Pope Francis has a complex infection in his respiratory system and requires more targeted drug treatment. Officials said that the 88-year-old Pope suffered from a “polymic-robic respiratory infection”, but on Monday there was no further details about the seriousness of his illness or what would change in his treatment.
Here is a look at the most recent diagnosis of the Pope and her treatment.
What is a polymic roby respiratory infection?
Essentially, this means that there is a mixture of bacteria, viruses, mushrooms or parasites that grow in a person’s lungs.
“People often receive bronchitis or respiratory infection, and this can often begin a cascade of several problems, including infections in the lungs” medicine. He said that such problems were common in older people whose immune systems are weaker or had complex health problems.
“It probably means that he has more than one organism in the lungs,” said Sauber, explaining that the Pope’s doctors may have to adapt his treatment to ensure that the antibiotics attack all different organisms.
How serious is that?
For someone with the Pope’s medical history – he lost part of his right lung decades ago and had previously had pneumonia – it is obtained that he was taken to the hospital.
Dr. Nick Hopkinson, medical director of Asthma + Lung UK, said that most healthy people would probably quickly recover from bronchitis.
But for people whose lungs are already damaged, “bacteria can colonize the respiratory tract and they begin to see infections that make it more difficult to treat it.” In people with lungs that were previously compromised, you may need help with breathing, including oxygen support or breast physiotherapy to help you clarify yourself in your lungs.
Nevertheless, Hopkinson said that it should help bring the Pope to the right medication.
“If you have identified certain things that are to be treated, you can treat them and he will start recovering.”
How long could that take?
It depends on it. Antibiotic treatments typically take up to about two weeks. Hopkinson said that the Pope may receive different drugs, including those that usually take people for asthma or diseases such as chronically obstructive lung diseases, but also receive physiotherapy in order to keep his breast as clear as possible.
“Some infections require longer treatment because they can only be cleared out of the system,” said Hopkinson. “It sounds like they have identified the responsible mistakes and they will treat them – but we just have to wait and see.”
Dr. Peter Openshaw, a lung expert at Imperial College London, said that the presence of several organisms is not unusual in people with complex medical history, but it could be difficult to use.
Are there any other problems that doctors could possibly be concerned about?
Pneumonia is a probable concern.
“Although we can treat pneumonia with antibiotics, pneumonia are also one of the leading causes of death,” said Sauer from Yale University. He said that antibiotics do not work in isolation and a person’s immune system is also crucial to ward off pneumonia, and pointed out that the immune system in older people is usually not so resilient.
“If you are 88 years old, you suddenly have risk factors that make the situation more difficult than just a routine pneumonia.”
What will doctors monitor next?
Sauer said, the largest that you will have to pay attention to in the coming days is a sign that the Pope worsens less.
“I would be most interested in ensuring that he does not deteriorate despite the best effort (his doctors). This is usually a bad forecast sign” not the prescribed medication.
“I have optimism and hope that he can go through with the right antibiotic.”
