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Atypical pneumonia

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Pneumonia caused by bacteria with slightly different symptoms to normal community-acquired pneumonia. The most common bacteria involved are: Legionella pneumophila, Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydophila pneumoniae. It manifests with non-specific symptoms such as chills, dry cough, fever and shortness of breath during exercise. Diagnosis is clinical and is confirmed with a chest x-ray, sputum culture and/or determination of antibodies in serum. Treatment is based on antibiotics, which are administered orally or intravenously depending on the severity of the case. If you experience fever, coughing and breathing difficulties, you must consult a doctor.
Bibliographic references
  1. Thomas J Marrie, Thomas M File, Jr. Epidemiology, pathogenesis, and microbiology of community-acquired pneumonia in adults. UpToDate. May 05, 2016.
  2. Mandell LA, Wunderink RG, Anzueto A, et al. Infectious Diseases Society of America/American Thoracic Society consensus guidelines on the management of community-acquired pneumonia in adults. Clin Infect Dis 2007; 44 Suppl 2:S27.
  3. Musher DM, Thorner AR. Community-acquired pneumonia. N Engl J Med 2014; 371:1619.
  4. Agustín Juián Jiménez, Francisco javier Candel González, Juan González del Castillo. Neumonía adquirida en la comunidad. Manual de protocolos y actuación en urgencias. Hospital Virgen de la Salud, Complejo Hospitalario de Toledo. Tercera edición. 2010.637:649.
  5. Jain S, Self WH, Wunderink RG, et al. Community-Acquired Pneumonia Requiring Hospitalization among U.S. Adults. N Engl J Med 2015; 373:415.
  6. Lionel A. Mandell, Richard G. Wunderink. Neumonía. Harrison. Principios de Medicina Interna. Volumen 2. 19ª Edición. 803:813.
  7. Infecciones del aparato respiratorio. Neumonía extrahospitalaria. Farreras Rozman. Medicina Interna. Volumen I. Duodécima edición. 774:784.
Author
Dr. Oscar Garcia-Esquirol
Copyright
© TeckelMedical 2026

Symptoms

    Tiredness / fatigue

    Feeling generally unwell

    Dry cough

    Fever / Feel very hot

    Difficult breathing

Symptoms to watch out for

Fever not relieved by antipyretics (paracetamol, ibuprofen)
Worsening of cough
Pain in the chest when breathing
History of a severe lung disease such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Difficulty breathing
Aged 65 years or older
Having any comorbidity such as diabetes mellitus, obesity, heart disease, kidney disease, brain disease, liver disease.
History of immunodeficiency (HIV, Diabetes Mellitus, oncological disorders, long-term corticosteroid consumption).

Self-care

Use over-the-counter analgesics and antipyretics for muscle pain or fever (temperature > 100.4 F).
Eat a balanced diet: increase consumption of fruits, vegetables, and white meats, and reduce consumption of fatty and fried foods.
Maintain a fluid intake of 6 - 8 cups per day.
Consult with your primary care physician regarding the prescription of antibiotics.
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