Lobar pneumonia is a medical condition which is caused by the streptococcus bacteria. This is a form of pneumonia that affects a part of a lobe in the lung or it may affect more than one lobes. The streptococcus pneumonia bacteria are responsible for this condition. Streptococcus penumoniae are basically gram positive coccus and are found in pairs.

A person having this condition may suffer from scanty sputum and there may be a rusty tint as a result of presence of altered blood. Lobar pneumonia is also called pneumococcal pneumonia and some symptoms associated with this condition include cough and high fever. A person suffering from this condition may also experience shortness of breath and chest pains along with rapid breathing.

Lobar pneumonia is not commonly observed in present times because of prompt treatment that can be administered. However this condition can still be observed in industrialized countries. In non-industrialized countries this condition also causes mortality in large numbers. This condition is commonly observed in young to middle aged individuals and is quite rare among infants or elderly people.

This condition is also more common among men as compared to women. Alcoholic individuals are vulnerable to developing this condition. This condition can also affect a person’s upper respiratory tract and can even spread to the lungs, blood, middle ear and nervous system. A person suffering from a previous respiratory infection may develop this condition on exposure to cold.

Lobar pneumonia may follow a viral infection or influenza. The onset of this condition is often quite sudden and may start off with chills and fever. Chest pain which may be commonly experienced occurs as a result of pleural involvements. The blood within alveolar spaces is often altered and this is called hemoptysis.

Radiological examination reflects alveolar filling within large areas in the lung and this results in production of solid appearance that may extend to entire segments or lobes. The symptoms of this condition respond well to antibiotic therapy but the lesions may take a number of days before they resolve.

Lobar pneumonia tends to progress through 4 stages which include congestion, red hepatisation, gray hepatisation and resolution. In the first stage protein rich edema fills the alveoli. Marked congestion in the capillaries is also observed. After this congestion outpouring of the polymorphonuclear leukocytes also occurs and this is accompanied with intra alveolar hemorrhage. The red blood cells also undergo lysis and rusty sputum is produced.