What is the most common cause of atypical pneumonia?

Three specific infectious bacteria cause the majority of atypical pneumonia cases: Mycoplasma pneumoniae usually infects people under 40 with mild pneumonia symptoms. It commonly causes earaches, headaches, and a sore throat, as well. Chlamydophila pneumoniae is common in school-aged children and young adults.

Does atypical pneumonia require hospitalization?

Walking pneumonia is a nonmedical term for a milder case of pneumonia. The medical term for this condition is atypical pneumonia. When you have pneumonia, you’ll likely need to spend at least a few days on bed rest. Some severe cases even require hospitalization.

What is considered atypical pneumonia?

Pneumonia is inflamed or swollen lung tissue due to infection with a germ. With atypical pneumonia, the infection is caused by different bacteria than the more common ones that cause pneumonia. Atypical pneumonia also tends to have milder symptoms than typical pneumonia.

How do you test for atypical pneumonia?

He or she will listen to your lungs with a stethoscope to check for abnormal breath sounds. Your doctor may order chest X-rays to see if there is an infection in your lungs. Your blood or mucus might be tested to determine if your pneumonia is caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae, another bacteria, virus or fungus.

Can atypical pneumonia be treated at home?

Medical treatment You can generally recover from atypical pneumonia on your own. Your doctor will prescribe antibiotic therapy only if you have bacterial pneumonia.

What antibiotics are used for atypical pneumonia?

Macrolide antibiotics: Macrolide drugs are the preferred treatment for children and adults. Macrolides include azithromycin (Zithromax®) and clarithromycin (Biaxin®).

Is walking good for pneumonia?

To complement and extend these findings, we have added evidence that walking for >1 h daily can reduce pneumonia-related mortality even among older people who lack other exercise habits.

What antibiotics treat atypical pneumonia?

What happens if pneumonia is left untreated?

Untreated pneumonia can also lead to a lung abscess, where part of the lung tissue dies. And, in very rare cases, respiratory failure can occur. These complications can be reduced, or avoided altogether, with prompt diagnosis and proper treatment. Your doctor relies on several tools to help diagnose pneumonia.

Who is responsible for atypical pneumonia in children?

The major agents responsible for atypical pneumonia in children include a wide variety of organisms, one Mycoplasma species, two Chlamydia species, a rickettsia, and one fastidious bacterium. Mycoplasma pneumoniae and C. pneumoniae together may be responsible for over 40% of these infections. Recogn …

How to diagnose community acquired pneumonia in children?

Am Fam Physician. 2012 Oct 1;86 (7):661-667. Community-acquired pneumonia is a potentially serious infection in children and often results in hospitalization. The diagnosis can be based on the history and physical examination results in children with fever plus respiratory signs and symptoms.

What causes a child to have walking pneumonia?

Walking pneumonia in children is mostly caused by bacteria. The most common among school-aged children is Mycoplasma pneumoniae. This bacterium also causes chest colds and bronchitis in adults. The infection is spread from person to person when tiny water droplets, containing bacteria, become airborne.

What kind of pneumonia can a 5 year old have?

Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV (most commonly seen in children under age 5) Early symptoms of viral pneumonia are the same as those of bacterial pneumonia.