Inflammation of the lung secondary to an infection.
It is called atypical because it does not follow the usual clinical or radiological course and the bacteria that causes it is often different to the ones that are common in typical pneumonia (mycoplasma pneumoniae, chlamydophila pneumoniae, coxiella burnetii, legionella pneumophila, and chlamydophila psittaci).
General symptoms are more striking than respiratory ones: headache, confusion, low-energy, loss of appetite, muscle aches, diarrhoea, etc.
Diagnosis is reached through the clinical history and a physical examination and it will be confirmed by a blood test, X-ray and serology.
Supportive treatment includes oxygen therapy if there is moderate to severe respiratory insufficiency, analgesics, antipyretics, bronchodilators, etc. Antibiotic treatment will vary depending on the causative germ.
- William J Barson. Pneumonia in children: Epidemiology, pathogenesis, and etiology. UpToDate. Junio 2016
- William J Barson. Community-acquired pneumonia in children: Clinical features and diagnosis. UpToDate. Junio 2016
- Bradley JS. The management of community-acquired pneumonia in infants and children older than 3 months of age: clinical practice guidelines by the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society and the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Clin Infect Dis 2011; 53:e25.
- Harris M. British Thoracic Society guidelines for the management of community acquired pneumonia in children: update 2011. Thorax 2011; 66 Suppl 2:ii1
- Lionel A. Mandell. Neumonía. Harrison. Principios de Medicina Interna, 19e. Capítulo 153
