What Is Walking Pneumonia?
Pneumonia is an infection of the air sacs caused by bacteria or viruses. Mucous or pus is formed in or around air sacs of the lungs (alveoli). As a result, the blood cells do not get adequate oxygen.
Walking pneumonia is caused by a pathogen called
Mycoplasma. Recently another organism called
Chlamydia pneumonia has also been identified as a causal agent for this infection. Both these organisms tend to affect young adults.
Although
walking pneumonia is caused by bacteria, it is very mild and easy to cure. A person who is infected with walking pneumonia is generally able to walk around and continue his daily routine as opposed to the contraction of pneumonia. Hence this ailment is very often referred to as the “walking pneumonia” .The patients need not be hospitalized and no aggressive treatments are needed. Walking pneumonia is very mild and easy to cure.
Walking pneumonia symptoms in adults are similar to influenza symptoms.
Symptoms of Walking Pneumonia in Adults
It’s a tricky disease and you may never feel that you are ill. This type of
pneumonia might start slowly with a headache, a general feeling of illness, a low-grade fever and a dry cough. Other
symptoms of walking pneumonia in adults includes nasal stuffiness, running nose, muscle ache shortness of breath, painful eyes, cough(can be dry or mucus producing), sore throat, headache, bronchitis, malaise, decreased activity , crackles and wheezes in the chest, skin rash, joint stiffness, sometimes vomiting and enlarged lymph glands.
Besides these symptoms
walking pneumonia symptoms in adults may include ear infection (otitis). There is no vaccine to prevent Walking pneumonia. Doctors usually prescribe oral antibiotics such as
clarithromycin, erythromycin, azithromycin and tetracycline. In addition to antibiotics, proper rest and liquids help to alleviate the symptoms. Children under age 15 are under a great risk of getting this illness. If there is cough for more than two or three weeks, sputum will be streaked with blood. In such cases, chest X-ray is also recommended. Although the symptoms are mild, it is safe to consult a doctor if the symptoms are visible, otherwise it’ll weaken the immune system drastically with time.
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