What Is Atypical Pneumonia?

By becky

Article Sources

Medical Expert

More About Us

Pneumonia is an infection of the respiratory system. There is regular pneumonia and atypical pneumonia, which is also known as walking pneumonia. The two types differ in a number of ways, and one is that symptoms are less severe in atypical.

There are various causes of atypical pneumonia, and some bacteria are involved more often than others. Treatment methods are based on the specific cause. Atypical pneumonia is common, but there are prevention strategies people can follow.

1. How Does Atypical Differ from Typical Pneumonia?

Both types of pneumonia are infections of the lower respiratory system, specifically the lungs, and the infections are caused by pathogens. Because the lungs are affected, fatigue is a common symptom. One of the biggest differences is that atypical pneumonia causes symptoms that differ from regular pneumonia, and these symptoms are usually milder, although more persistent.

Due to the mild severity of symptoms, people with atypical pneumonia often function normally and rarely require aggressive treatment or hospitalization, unlike regular pneumonia. The causes of each pneumonia differ as well, which affects the types of antibiotics prescribed. The most common type of bacteria that triggers typical pneumonia is Streptococcus pneumonia, while there are various pathogens that cause walking pneumonia.