Walking pneumonia, also known as Mycoplasma pneumonia or atypical pneumonia, is the result of infection with a pathogen known as Mycoplasma pneumoniae. This form of pneumonia is mild and not as severe as other types of pneumonia. Symptoms develop and emerge slowly over a period of one to three weeks. Often, the symptoms of this disorder can be confused with those related to the flu or severe cold.
According to MedlinePlus, most people affected by this infection are children or under 40 years of age. It is often transmitted between people who are in close proximity. Some of the symptoms include a persistent cough, sore throat, and fever or chest pain.
The common sequela of mycoplasma pneumonia is infection of the middle ear. These infections are most common during early childhood and generally affect children in the 6-24 month age group. The chances of children being affected are greater than those of adults.
While the infection is mild, walking pneumonia has the potential to cause several complications. Some of those complications are highlighted below.
In a middle ear infection, the lining of this section becomes inflamed and fluid begins to collect behind the eardrum. Some symptoms of this condition are high fever, imbalance, irritability, dizziness, insomnia and earache, discharge from the ear, vomiting, loss of appetite, temporary hearing loss, and / or diarrhea. Treatment includes over-the-counter medications, antibiotics, and warm compresses and drainage tubes. If left untreated, the infection can cause the eardrum to rupture or cause hearing loss.
People with walking pneumonia are more susceptible to hemolytic anemia. In this condition, the bone marrow does not make enough red blood cells to replace prematurely damaged ones in the blood. Hemolytic anemia can be caused by protein abnormalities, variation in the level of proteins in the blood, blood clots, and side effects of medications, infection, or an abnormal response of the immune system. Some related symptoms include dark urine, fatigue and an enlarged spleen, chills, rapid heartbeat, fever and pale skin, jaundice or shortness of breath. Treatment includes ingestion of iron, folic acid, blood transfusion, or administration of corticosteroids.
Another consequence of this condition is a skin rash. People who are more allergic and sensitive to antibiotics are at a higher risk of allergic reactions when treated with antibiotics. In this condition, rashes develop that can be red, flat spots; or small raised bumps. Administration of amoxicillin or penicillin can also trigger this condition. Discontinuing antibiotics can reduce rashes.
Walking pneumonia can also cause severe pneumonia due to weak immunity or poor response to any treatment.