Can you catch COPD from someone else?

In this article:

• What causes COPD?
• Is COPD contagious?
• Living with COPD
• When to see a healthcare provider

In this article

• What causes COPD?
• Is COPD contagious?
• Living with COPD
• When to see a healthcare provider

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a group of chronic lung conditions that causes difficulty breathing and worsens over time. It includes conditions such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis, characterized by lung damage and inflammation in the airways that carry air to and from the lung air sacs (alveoli). A chronic cough is a common symptom of COPD, similar to the one experienced by people with infectious diseases like the flu. However, COPD is not a contagious disease and cannot be “caught” from someone with the condition.

If you or your loved one has been diagnosed, your healthcare team would place you on treatments to manage your respiratory symptoms, slow its progression, minimize flare-ups, and improve overall quality of life. 

What causes COPD?

COPD typically occurs as a result of prolonged exposure to harmful gases or toxic substances, such as air pollution. Cigarette smoking tops the list as the leading cause of COPD. Available evidence indicates that the majority of individuals with COPD are either current or former smokers. You are also at a higher risk when you are regularly exposed to secondhand smoke (i.e., exposure to the cigarette smoke exhaled by someone else). 

A combination of other risk factors can also lead to the development of COPD:

• Exposure to lung irritants: Regular and long-term exposure to substances that are toxic or may irritate the lungs is a risk factor for COPD. These include chemical fumes, dust, and indoor air pollutants, such as those from burning coal or wood. 
• Having asthma: People who have asthma are at a greater risk of developing COPD. However, this doesn’t mean everyone with asthma will develop COPD. 
• Being a female: People assigned female at birth are more prone to developing COPD than those assigned male at birth. The reason for this is unclear. However, evidence suggests that women are more susceptible to the harmful effects of cigarettes, and this may be attributed to factors like hormones, the smaller lung size, and differences in smoking patterns.
• Age: Symptoms typically begin in people who are at least 40 years old. The risk increases with age, as lung function naturally declines with age.
• Genetics: Genetic disposition may play a role in the development of COPD. People with a rare genetic condition called alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency are at risk of developing it. Also, smokers are at a significantly greater risk if they have a family history of COPD. 

Is COPD contagious?

“Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is not contagious,” says Sunkaru Touray, MD, FACP, a board-certified pulmonologist at St. Luke’s Hospital in The Woodlands, Texas, and founder of Permian Health Lung Institute. Infectious microorganisms do not cause this condition. Instead, it is caused by exposure to toxic irritants like cigarette smoke and air pollutants, “particularly ultrafine particulate matter known as PM2.5,” which can travel into and deposit on the surface of the deep parts of the lung.

Dr. Touray notes that people living with COPD can interact normally with others, including body contact like kissing, as the condition cannot be spread from person to person. However, he notes that individuals with this condition should take precautions to avoid contact with those who have respiratory infections, as COPD increases susceptibility to viruses and bacteria that can trigger a worsening of symptoms, known as an acute exacerbation.

There are different reasons people with COPD are at a higher risk of respiratory infections. “Many with COPD make excess mucus and have a harder time clearing secretions from the airway due to abnormal bronchial tubes. The stagnant secretions can make it easier for bacteria to grow and infect the airway,” says Jimmy Johannes, MD, pulmonologist and critical care medicine specialist at MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center in Long Beach. He also noted that individuals with COPD may have impaired immune cells in the airways, which makes it more difficult for the immune system to clear pathogens in the airways. 

How can people with COPD reduce the risk of transmitting other infections?

While you cannot transmit COPD to others, it causes you to cough a lot. It’s possible to transmit infections, especially respiratory infections, to others through coughs. Common diseases that can be transmitted through coughs include the influenza virus, tuberculosis, and pneumonia.

“Using good hand hygiene, such as frequent handwashing and using hand sanitizers, can help prevent catching and transmitting respiratory infections,” says Dr. Johannes. He also advises that if you have a respiratory infection, especially a virus, keeping a physical distance from other people and wearing a mask can help reduce the chance that the bug is transmitted through droplets from a cough or a sneeze. 

Managing the condition and protecting your lungs

“While COPD is not curable, it is a treatable disease, and significant advances have been made in its management,” Dr. Touray says.

Your healthcare team will recommend the most suitable treatments for your COPD, taking into account your symptoms, disease severity, and individual health needs. The treatment options may include:

• Medications: Your healthcare provider may prescribe bronchodilators, such as Perforomist (formoterol) and Serevent Diskus (salmeterol), which are typically administered in the form of inhalers that relax and widen the muscles surrounding the airways. You may also need to take antibiotics if you develop respiratory infections, and also receive vaccines to prevent viral infections.
• Pulmonary rehabilitation: These programs are offered in small group settings supervised by healthcare providers. They involve a combination of classes on managing your condition, exercise training, counseling, and nutritional education. 
• Oxygen therapy: This treatment aims to increase oxygen flow into your lungs and may be ideal for people with severe symptoms or those with low oxygen levels. 
• Bronchoscopic Lung Volume Reduction (BLVR) using Endobronchial Valves: “This involves placing small, one-way valves into the lungs of carefully selected patients with severe COPD using a bronchoscope,” Dr. Touray explains, adding that the procedure has been shown to improve lung function, symptoms, and quality of life.
• Surgery: Lung surgery is typically recommended as a last resort for some people with severe COPD symptoms who find it difficult to breathe. Surgeries can be performed to remove damaged lung tissue and improve breathing. But not everyone is eligible for this procedure.
  

There is no foolproof strategy for preventing COPD, but certain practices and lifestyle modifications can help lower your risk and promote lung health. Dr. Johannes emphasizes the importance of quitting smoking as an important part of managing COPD. “Minimizing exposure to other sources of smoke, air pollution, and dust can also help maintain lung health. Regular exercise is always an important part of overall health, including lung health,” he says. 

RELATED: Which inhalers are used for COPD management?

When to talk to your healthcare provider about lung health

“Early detection of COPD is important because timely diagnosis enables patients to take proactive measures to protect lung function,” Dr. Touray says, adding that early specialist involvement ensures access to guideline-based therapies, which can help you maintain a healthy, productive life and reduce the risk of disease progression and exacerbations.

Seek medical advice if you are at high risk or when you notice symptoms like wheezing, severe or persistent cough, sputum (mucus production), shortness of breath, and fatigue. Dr. Touray says that because COPD develops gradually over time, if you experience a chronic cough lasting longer than three months and other COPD symptoms, especially if you have been exposed to smoke or live or work in a polluted environment, it is essential that you see a healthcare provider for evaluation.