Atypical pneumonia: what it is, symptoms, causes and treatment

Atypical pneumonia is a lung infection caused by microorganisms less common than those of normal pneumonia, which include bacteria, Mycoplasma pneumoniaea Legionella pneumophila your Chlamydophila pneumoniaefor example.

This type of pneumonia is generally contagious through contact with droplets of saliva from the infected person and, therefore, is more common among people who share small spaces, as happens with prisoners or military personnel, being an important suspect when the whole family presents the same symptoms.

Although it is known as a serious pneumonia, atypical pneumonia is curable and can be treated at home with rest and the use of antibiotics prescribed by your general practitioner or pulmonologist. As atypical pneumonia is caused by other, less common types of microorganisms, its treatment can be more difficult and time-consuming, with a greater chance of complications.

Symptoms of atypical pneumonia

The main symptoms of atypical pneumonia are:

• Constant low fever;
• Dry cough that worsens over time;
• Runny nose;
• Difficulty breathing;
• Chest pain;
• Sore throat;
• Pain in muscles and joints;
• Easy fatigue.

Symptoms of atypical pneumonia may take 3 to 10 days to appear and may worsen over several weeks.

How to confirm the diagnosis

The diagnosis of atypical pneumonia usually begins with an evaluation by a doctor, who tries to understand the symptoms and understand whether there has been contact with another person who could have a respiratory infection.

In addition, the doctor also assesses signs of severity and orders blood tests and a chest X-ray, especially to understand the type of pneumonia, as the pattern that appears in the results of the X-ray and blood tests tends to be different in the case of atypical pneumonia.

Possible causes

Atypical pneumonia is caused by infection with bacteria such as:

These bacteria are considered atypical, since “normal” or “typical” pneumonia is caused by different microorganisms, especially the bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae. Furthermore, the X-ray examination of atypical pneumonia presents different changes than typical pneumonia, as do the symptoms. See how to identify typical pneumonia.

How it is caught and who is most at risk

Atypical pneumonia is contagious and is easily transmitted through contaminated saliva droplets. Therefore, it is always important to cover your mouth with a tissue or mask when sneezing or coughing, to avoid infecting other people with any type of respiratory infection.

As the symptoms of atypical pneumonia can take a few days to appear, it is possible that the person can transmit the disease before confirming the diagnosis, especially if they start having coughing or sneezing attacks. Therefore, people who live in the same house or who are in close contact are at greater risk of catching the infection and should therefore also go to the doctor to understand whether they may be infected and start treatment.

Check out 10 important precautions to avoid getting pneumonia.

How the treatment is carried out

The treatment of atypical pneumonia lasts around 14 to 21 days and can be done at home with the use of antibiotics, such as Erythromycin, Azithromycin or Levofloxacin, prescribed by a pulmonologist or emergency doctor. Since atypical pneumonia is caused by microorganisms different from those of common pneumonia, it is possible that, during treatment, the antibiotics used are changed once or twice.

Additionally, during treatment it is recommended:

• Nebulize according to your doctor’s instructions;
• Avoid going to work or school;
• Maintain rest at home;
• Cover your mouth with a tissue or mask when sneezing or coughing
• Drink plenty of fluids, such as water, natural juice or tea;
• Avoid sudden changes in temperature.

These precautions are important to prevent pneumonia from returning or worsening, causing complications such as respiratory arrest, encephalitis or myocarditis, for example.

Signs of worsening atypical pneumonia

Signs that the treatment is not working include an increase in fever above 40º and worsening difficulty breathing, which may result in rapid breathing and flaring of the nose.

If signs of worsening occur, it is important to go to the hospital, as it may be necessary to undergo further tests, change antibiotics or be hospitalized for respiratory physiotherapy, oxygen or antibiotic injections into a vein.

Signs of improvement in atypical pneumonia

When the treatment is successful, signs of improvement generally appear, such as a decrease in fever within 4 days, a decrease in tiredness and an increase in breathing ease.

Despite signs of improvement in atypical pneumonia, drug treatment for atypical pneumonia must be continued until the end of the antibiotic, preventing the pneumonia from returning or worsening.