ROME — (AP) — Pope Francis was hospitalized Friday for the fourth time since being elected in 2013, after he was diagnosed with bronchitis last week. Francis had part of one lung removed as a young man and has recurring bouts of bronchitis, especially in winter.
In an evening bulletin, the Vatican said preliminary tests showed Francis had a respiratory tract infection, was running a mild fever and was in “fair” condition at Rome’s Gemelli hospital where he was undergoing drug therapy.
The 88-year-old pope has other health problems too: He had part of his large intestine removed in 2021, uses a wheelchair, cane or walker because of bad knee ligaments and suffers from sciatica nerve pain.
Bronchitis usually is triggered by respiratory viruses, from the common cold to more serious infections such as the flu or RSV. Bronchitis sets in when the airways leading to the lungs become inflamed, causing mucus that people try to cough out.
The immune system wanes with age, leaving older adults especially vulnerable both to respiratory viruses and to complications from them like bronchitis. The pope has said he had a cold earlier this month, and is prone to repeated bouts of bronchitis.
When bronchitis symptoms become severe — such as causing chest pain, wheezing and shortness of breath — it’s important to see a doctor. Treatment may include bronchodilators to open the airways and help breathing plus anti-inflammatory drugs such as steroids to fight the swelling and help mucus drain. Doctors may also treat the underlying infection with antiviral drugs or, if the cause was a bacterial infection rather than a virus, with antibiotics.
Sometimes bronchitis can lead to pneumonia, a deeper and far more serious infection of the lungs' air sacs. Francis said he had a case of pneumonia in 2023. Treatment varies by severity but can include providing oxygen through a nasal tube or mask, intravenous fluids – and treatment of the underlying cause of the infection.
Here’s a look at the pontiff's health history.
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1957: In his native Argentina, Francis, then in his early 20s, suffered from a severe respiratory infection that forced doctors to remove part of one lung. He later recalled that a nurse saved his life at the time, deciding to double the amount of drugs he had been given.
July 4-14, 2021: He spent 10 days in Gemelli hospital in Rome for what the Vatican said was a narrowing of the large intestine. Doctors removed 33 centimeters (13 inches) of his colon. Francis emerged, saying he could eat whatever he wants, but lamenting he didn't respond well to general anesthesia.
Jan. 24, 2023: The pope told The Associated Press that the diverticulosis, or bulges in his intestinal wall, that had prompted the 2021 surgery had returned but was under control.
March 29-April 1, 2023: Francis spent three days at Gemelli with a respiratory infection after feeling a sharp pain in his chest and having trouble breathing. Doctors diagnosed an acute bronchitis and treated him with intravenous antibiotics, though Francis later said it was actually acute pneumonia.
June 6, 2023: He underwent unspecified medical checks at Gemelli before returning to the Vatican.
June 7-16, 2023: Francis had abdominal surgery to remove scar tissue and repair an abdominal hernia and was released nine days later. His surgeon, Dr. Sergio Alfieri, revealed that the scarring was not only due to the 2021 abdominal surgery, but to previous intestinal surgeries the pope had undergone.
Feb. 14, 2025: Francis returned to Gemelli for treatment of bronchitis and further diagnostic tests, the Vatican said. The hospitalization came after Francis said Feb. 5 that he had a cold, with the Vatican reporting a day later that it was bronchitis. On Feb. 9, Francis said he was having trouble breathing as he delivered his homily during an outdoor Mass. An aide finished it for him. Francis handed off his weekly catechism lesson on Feb. 12 to an aide, saying he couldn't read it this week because of his bronchitis but that "I hope next time I'll be able to."
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Neergaard contributed from Washington.
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