Vatican officials have confirmed that 88-year-old Pope Francis has a “polymicrobial respiratory tract infection,” which is a complex infection involving multiple bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites in the lungs.
According to Dr. Maor Sauler, an expert in adult pulmonary and critical care medicine at Yale University’s School of Medicine, a polymicrobial infection means that the pope’s doctors may need to adjust his treatment to target all the various organisms involved.
The severity of this diagnosis is concerning given Pope Francis’ medical history, which includes losing part of his right lung and previous episodes of pneumonia. However, Dr. Nick Hopkinson, medical director of Asthma + Lung UK, notes that with the right medications, the pope can recover from bronchitis.
Antibiotic treatments typically take several days to two weeks, but their effectiveness depends on the specific organisms involved. Pneumonia is a likely complication and is a leading cause of death in older adults.
Doctors will be closely monitoring the pope’s condition for signs of worsening or improvement over the coming days, with a review of his treatment plan in a few days to assess its efficacy.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/pope-illness-polymicrobial-infection-6638f63730046f420b4d0a6d364826f7