Is Acute Bronchitis Contagious?

Is Acute Bronchitis Contagious?

The bronchial tubes deliver air to the lungs, when these tubes get inflamed, mucus is formed which causes coughing and breathing problems and this is known as bronchitis. Acute bronchitis is developed by a viral chest infection.

This infection can be caused by different types of viruses. Acute virus is the ninth most common illness due to which people visit a doctor and around 5% of adults suffer from acute bronchitis every year.

The difference between acute and chronic bronchitis is that acute bronchitis lasts for less than 10 days but the coughing can last for couple of weeks even thought the inflammation is cleared. Whereas, chronic bronchitis lasts for a few weeks and keeps coming back, this problem is common among people who suffer from asthma or emphysema.

Acute bronchitis can be contagious if the virus or a bacterium that causes the infection is contagious. In most of the cases the patient suffering from acute bronchitis is contagious. The infection is contagious as long as the symptoms last in the patient. But in some cases the infection is contagious even before the patient starts experiencing the symptoms. Some of the viruses that cause acute bronchitis are – Influenza, parainfluenza, RSV, rhinovirus, adenovirus and corona virus.

Acute bronchitis that is caused due to exposure to pollutants, tobacco smoke or any other environmental factors is not contagious.

What are the symptoms of acute bronchitis?

There are no specific symptoms for acute bronchitis, the signs and symptoms are similar to other infections which include – chronic cough, chronic bronchitis, postnasal drip and pneumonia. Therefore only a doctor will be able to diagnose the actual cause of the symptoms the patient is suffering from.

Some of the symptoms are;  Coughing which can continue for a few weeks and consists of clear or colored mucus  Difficulty in breathing  Wheezing

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Mild Fever Chills Headache Sore throat Chest discomfort Nasal congestion Muscle pain Tiredness

Some of the symptoms children suffer from during acute bronchitis are;     

Running nose Muscle and back pain Sore throat Chills Mild fever

A patient must meet the doctor immediately if he/she is experiencing the following symptoms;     

Sudden weight loss without any reason Chest pain High fever Severe cough Cough lasting for more than 10days

What are the causes of acute bronchitis?

The main reason for developing acute bronchitis is a lower respiratory viral infection. It is the same viruses that cause cold and influenza. And in rare cases bacterium (Bordetella pertussis) causing whooping cough can also be one of the factors.

What are the risk factors of acute bronchitis?

Anyone can develop acute bronchitis infection, but there are certain factors that can increase the chances of getting this infection which are; 

Inhaling cigarette smoke or secondhand smoke

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Low resistance to illness this is common among children, older adults and people with a weak immune system Exposure to pollution, chemical fumes, irritants etc

How is acute bronchitis diagnosed?

Many a times acute bronchitis will be cured with time and requires no specific medication or treatment. The doctor will be able to diagnose acute bronchitis by conducting a physical examination. The doctor will make a note of the symptoms and will hear the lungs of the person while breathing.

The doctos will ask about the coughing symptoms to know whether it is severe, whether cought is more in the nights, does the cough produce mucus and whether there is any breathing issues.

Normally, there is no need for blood tests, imaging tests or cultures. But if the doctor is not sure about the diagnosis and suspects the symptoms might be due to some other illness then the patient will have to do some tests for being sure of the infection causing the symptoms.

What is the treatment for acute bronchitis?

There is not antibiotics treatment to cure acute bronchitis. In very rare cases any prescribed medication can treat this infection. If the patient is suffering from wheezing or breathing problems, the doctor may prescribe inhaled medication to clear the airways.

There are few simple home remedies that can help in treating acute bronchitis which include;  

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Certain over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicines can help give relief to the sore throat.

Humidifiers are useful as it creates moisture in the atmosphere. This will loosen the mucus and clear the congestion in the nasal passages and chest .

Drinking a lot of fluids in the day will thin out the mucus and this will help in smooth outflow of mucus through cough or blowing of nose.

Mixing ginger in tea or warm water will work as an anti-inflammatory to cure the inflamed brochial tubes.

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Taking honey because it has antiviral and antibacterial properties and it will help to sooth the sore throat and reduce the cough.

Normally the symptoms of acute bronchitis are cleared within a couple of days but in cases of some secondary infection it might take longer. But there are no long term complications associated with acute bronchitis.

How can acute bronchitis be prevented?

If a person has come in contact with anyone who is suffering from acute bronchitis then he/ she must avoid touching their own eyes, mouth or nose without washing their hands. These body parts are very prone to such infection. Always practice good hygiene and wash hands regularly and properly especially during winter season. This will help to protect oneself from viral infections.

If a person is very often exposed to dust, chemical fumes and other pollutants then try and avoid or reduce exposure to such harmful elements as much as possible. And one can also make use of masks if such situations are unavoidable.

Take sufficient rest as this will give the body the strength to fight the infections.

Apart from these preventive measures, there are certain lifestyle changes that can be helpful to prevent acute bronchitis which are;    

Stop smoking and avoid exposure to secondhand some Eat healthy food Don’t share one’s vessels or glasses with anyone else Wash hands regularly before and after eating food or touching one’s face

There is no full proof option of preventing acute bronchitis since it is caused due to a number of factors. But one can reduce the chances of getting this infection by taking the pneumonia vaccine and whooping cough vaccine. Also a yearly flu shot can help to prevent acute bronchitis.