Mycoplasma pneumonia, also known as "walking" pneumonia or atypical pneumonia, is a mild form of pneumonia that is caused by the pathogen mycoplasma pneumoniae. The onset of symptoms occurs gradually over 1 to 3 weeks with clinical signs similar to that of a bad cold or flu. One risk factor for this community-acquired infection is crowding; specifically, this type spreads quickly in crowded human environments such as schools, daycare centers and prisons.
Another risk factor is age; this type of pneumonia typically occurs in people under the age of 40 with peak prevalence between 5 to 20 years. While the pathogenic agent causes pneumonia, only 5 to 10 percent of diagnosed patients actually develop full-blown pneumonia; in fact, most cases resolve after several weeks without complications, and hospitalization is rare. Primary symptoms are listed below and include:
Dry Cough
A slowly worsening, persistent dry cough is considered the primary symptom that must be present, since dry coughing is a major aspect of this mycoplasma disease. The complete absence of this symptom makes the diagnosis of mycoplasma pneumonia truly unlikely. Also, the cough may likely get worse at night-time because fluid builds up in the lungs from lying flat and not moving around; consequently, fluid moves higher up in the respiratory tract. However, patients with this type of pneumonia are not disabled or bedridden, for "walking" pneumonia reflects the fact that diagnosed patients are able to move around easily and perform daily activities.
Flu-like Symptoms and Pain
A patient typically will exhibit fever, chills, malaise, an irritating runny nose and a "scratchy" sore throat. This is the early stage of the infection; as the cold or flu-like symptoms progress, the infection establishes itself in the patient's chest. Also, a person with this mild form with a persistent and dry cough may report pain in the chest, abdominal area, ears and eyes. The symptom of a mild to major headache also is common.
Other Symptoms
Wheezing and shallow, rapid breathing may occur at times due to fatigue and weakness from coughing. Lastly, in rare cases, sharp pleuritic chest pain has been reported.
