Mycoplasma Pneumonia: What It Is and When to See a Doctor

In its symptoms, pneumonia can resemble a cold or the flu. Below is a calm explanation of what the pathogen Mycoplasma pneumoniae is, how pneumonia manifests, and at what point a cough stops being "just a cough."

What mycoplasma pneumonia is

Pneumonia is inflammation of the lungs, usually caused by an infection. In pneumonia, the air sacs of the lungs fill with fluid or pus, and breathing becomes harder. There are several pathogens, and Mycoplasma pneumoniae is one of them: a small bacterium measuring 0.3–0.8 µm, without a rigid cell wall, so its shape is variable. It lives in the human respiratory tract, causes inflammation of the airways, tracheobronchitis, and atypical pneumonia, and is most common in children.

Why pneumonia is called atypical

Mycoplasma pneumoniae causes, in particular, atypical pneumonia. Pneumonia itself can be hard to recognize: it can produce the same symptoms as a cold or the flu, and it takes time to understand that the illness is more serious.

Symptoms of pneumonia

Onset can be sudden or gradual, over several days. Pneumonia can involve:

• cough, often with sputum;
• high fever and chills;
• shortness of breath;
• chest pain when breathing and coughing;
• body aches, severe fatigue, and loss of appetite.

There may be nausea, vomiting, and loose stools; in infants, wheezing and grunting sounds. In older adults, the fever may be low-grade, but weakness and confusion appear: the person suddenly does not remember where they are.

Cough in pneumonia

In pneumonia, the cough is usually productive, and the sputum may be yellow or green. Recovery takes on average 2–4 weeks: some people feel better within a week, while others need a month or more. If the cough does not go away within 3 weeks, sputum is being coughed up, chest pain appears when breathing, or shortness of breath develops, that is a reason to make an appointment with a doctor rather than wait for it to resolve on its own.

Atypical pneumonia virus: is it the same thing?

No. M. pneumoniae is a bacterium, albeit an unusual one: it has no rigid cell wall. Viral pneumonia is caused by viruses: respiratory syncytial virus, cold and flu viruses, SARS-CoV-2. The viral form often runs a milder course and resolves on its own within a few weeks, but it can also be severe, requiring treatment in a hospital. After viral pneumonia, there is a higher risk that a bacterial infection will set in. Therefore, "atypical pneumonia virus" is an inaccurate phrasing: mycoplasma is not a virus.

How it is diagnosed and when a doctor is needed

The doctor asks about symptoms, listens to the lungs with a stethoscope, and, if suspected, refers for examinations: chest X-ray, blood tests, sputum culture. In a hospital, computed tomography, blood oxygen testing, and bronchoscopy are possible. At-risk groups include children under 2 years old, people over 65, smokers, and those with lung diseases or weakened immunity.

This kind of pneumonia by itself is not a reason to call an ambulance. Call 103 or 112 if the person has difficulty breathing, is gasping and cannot speak, the skin, lips, or tongue have become pale, blue, or mottled, there is blood in the coughed-up sputum, sudden confusion has appeared, or a child cannot be woken and is lethargic.

This material is for reference and does not replace a doctor's consultation: only a doctor can examine you, listen to your lungs, and decide which examinations are needed specifically for you.

This content is for reference and does not replace a doctor's consultation. Medical disclaimer