Atypical pneumonia
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Atypical pneumonia is a term used to describe a disease caused by one or a combination of the following organisms:
- Legionella pneumophila
- Causes a severe form of pneumonia with a relatively high mortality rate, known as legionellosis or Legionnaires' disease..
- Mycoplasma pneumoniae
- Usually occurs in younger age groups and may be associated with neurological and systemic (e.g. rashes) symptoms.
- Chlamydophila pneumoniae
- Mild form of pneumonia with relatively mild symptoms.
Symptoms include pyrexia, shortness of breath, laboured breathing, cough, arthralgia (joint pain), malaise, loss of appetite, confusion, rash, and diarrhea.
Treatment is with oral antibiotics, mainly with those which interfere with protein synthesis e.g. erythromycin, and diagnosis is confirmed by blood cultures and sputum samples.
Prognosis is usually good and is influenced by age and immunosuppression.
The severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) was also considered a kind of atypical pneumonia, and is still called so in the Chinese mainland.