"Walking pneumonia" is caused by which organism?

Prepare for your CVP and GI Pathology Exam. Study using flashcards and multiple choice questions with hints and explanations to excel in your test.

Walking pneumonia is typically caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae. This organism is a classic cause of an atypical, milder pneumonia that develops gradually and often presents with a dry cough and only low-grade fever, so patients may still be ambulatory. A key feature is that Mycoplasma lacks a cell wall, so it does not show up on Gram stain and beta-lactam antibiotics are ineffective; treatment is usually with macrolides, doxycycline, or certain fluoroquinolones. The other organisms can cause pneumonia but don't fit this pattern: Chlamydophila pneumoniae can cause atypical pneumonia as well but is less specifically linked to the walking-pneumonia picture; Streptococcus pneumoniae typically causes a typical lobar pneumonia with high fever and productive sputum; Legionella pneumophila tends to produce more severe illness with GI symptoms and hyponatremia.