Pope Francis has not been keeping well. Two days after Vatican authorities said he had been diagnosed with a polymicrobial respiratory tract infection, latest reports say he has developed double pneumonia and his condition remains “complex“.
The 88-year-old was initially suffering from bronchitis, and was hospitalised last week after his condition worsened. Vatican authorities said Monday the Pope will need more targeted drug treatment as he had been diagnosed with a complex infection in his respiratory tract.
“The results of the medical tests carried out over the past few days and today have shown a polymicrobial infection of the respiratory tract, which has led to a further change in therapy. All tests carried out to date are indicative of a complex clinical picture that will require appropriate hospitalization,” the Vatican said in a statement Monday, without giving further details on the severity of his condition, or even the line of treatment he is receiving at “A. Gemelli” Polyclinic Foundation.
In a statement later, the Vatican authorities said the pope’s condition was “stable”, and that he was “proceeding with the prescribed treatment”. Early on Wednesday, however, officials said his condition continues to present a “complex picture”.
“Laboratory tests, chest X-rays, and the clinical condition of the Holy Father continue to present a complex picture,” the pope’s office said in a statement. It said Pope Francis’s “polymicrobial infection, which has arisen in the context of bronchiectasis and asthmatic bronchitis, and has required the use of corticosteroid and antibiotics, makes the therapeutic treatment more complex”.
“A follow-up chest CT scan…revealed the onset of bilateral pneumonia, requiring additional pharmacological therapy,” the statement said.
Pope Francis lost part of his right lung many years ago, according to reports, and hence this infection is a cause for added concern.
ALSO READ ON ABP LIVE | Even Common Symptoms Can Indicate Leukaemia: 3 Key Facts Everyone Should Know
What Is Polymicrobial Respiratory Tract Infection?
A polymicrobial respiratory tract infection occurs when multiple types of microorganisms — such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites — are present in a person’s lungs. These infections can lead to both acute and long-term illnesses.
They develop when one microorganism weakens the body’s defences, making it more vulnerable to another infection, or when two different pathogens simultaneously contribute to the onset of a disease, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Dr Maor Sauler, a specialist in adult pulmonary and critical care medicine at Yale University, told AP respiratory infections like bronchitis can sometimes trigger a chain reaction, leading to further complications, including lung infections.
Referring to the Pope’s condition, he said: “It likely means he has more than one organism in his lungs.”
Dr Sauler said these infections are particularly common in older adults, whose immune systems may be weaker or who have underlying health conditions issues.
ALSO READ ON ABP LIVE | Bird Flu Cases Rise In US Dairy Cattle: Does It Make Milk Unsafe?
Is It A Serious Condition?
In 1957, as a young adult in Argentina, Pope Francis suffered a respiratory infection and had to undergo surgery to remove a portion of his right lung.
He has had pneumonia in the past also, and had to be hospitalised at least four times since 2023 — for flu-like symptoms last year, for bronchitis in March 2023, and for an abdominal surgery to repair a hernia in June 2023.
For someone with such medical history, a polymicrobial respiratory tract infection is a worrying factor.
Quoting Dr Nick Hopkinson, medical director of Asthma + Lung UK, the AP report said a healthy person would likely recover from bronchitis in no time, but not people with damaged lungs. “…bacteria can come and colonise the airways… and you start to see infections which makes it more difficult to treat,” he said.
People with compromised lungs may need oxygen support or chest physiotherapy to help with breathing. Hopkinson, however, said the right medications should help, though it might take some time.
