Many pulmonary infections in early childhood, including those due to Chlamydia pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and respiratory syncytial virus, have been linked with an increased risk for wheezing and asthma.
The disease has been linked to a variety of disease agents, including parvovirus B19, HIV infection, measles, influenza viruses, rotaviruses, adenoviruses, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Mycoplasma pneumoniae.
Localized shadows obscuring areas of the lung may indicate a bacterial pneumonia, while streaky or patchy changes in the x-ray film may indicate viral or mycoplasma pneumonia.
Pneumonia in older children and young adults is often caused by the bacteria-like Mycoplasma pneumoniae, the cause of pneumonia that is often called "walking" pneumonia.
Erythromycin and tetracycline are broad-spectrum antibiotics that are known to improve recovery time for symptoms of mycoplasma pneumonia.
Bacterial and viral pneumonia occur mostly in winter months, while mycoplasma pneumonia is more common in summer and fall.
Recovery following pneumonia with Mycoplasma pneumoniae is nearly 100 percent.
Viral pneumonias and mycoplasma pneumonias do not result in consolidation.
Cantu, Santos, Jr. "Pneumonia, Mycoplasma." eMedicine, July 13, 2001.