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No, pneumonia itself is not contagious, but the infection that caused it could be. For example, if you had a respiratory infection that was caused by a contagious bug, and then the infection led to pneumonia, someone else could have caught the bug from you. It doesn't, however, mean they will develop pneumonia.

Pneumonia basically means a fluid accumulation in the lungs - this can be caused by all sorts of viruses, bacteria, or fungi which may be community acquired e.g. "legionella" and "staph aureus" or hospital acquired e.g. "gram-negative bacteria." - it also can be caused if you simply inhale water or any other liquid (this type of pneumonia, as well as its cause, is obviously not contagious).

So, even though pneumonia itself is not contagious, the causes that lead to it can be. Sneeze into a hanky and wash your hands frequently to avoid spreading the germs. Frequent hand washing is the most effective way to avoid catching the germs which do cause respiratory infections.

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10y ago

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