Mycoplasmal Pneumonia Differential Diagnoses

  • Author: Michael Joseph Bono, MD, FACEP; Chief Editor: Robert E O'Connor, MD, MPH   more...
 
Updated: Mar 29, 2011
 
 

Diagnostic Considerations

M pneumoniae is one of the most common causes of community-acquired pneumonia in otherwise healthy patients younger than 40 years. Mycoplasmal pneumonia is most common in the first 2 decades of life and is rare in children younger than 5 years, and large outbreaks of mycoplasmal pneumonia tend to occur in the late summer and fall, particularly in closed populations, such as in military and prison populations.

The incubation period of mycoplasmal pneumonia tends to be smoldering and averages 3 weeks, in contrast to that of influenza and other viral pneumonias (generally average a few days). The absence of a cough, particularly one that is persistent and slowly worsening, makes the diagnosis of M pneumoniae unlikely.

Differential Diagnoses

Proceed to Workup
 
 
Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Michael Joseph Bono, MD, FACEP  Professor of Emergency Medicine, Associate Director of Emergency Medicine Residency Program, Department of Emergency Medicine, Eastern Virginia Medical School

Michael Joseph Bono, MD, FACEP is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American College of Emergency Physicians, American Heart Association, Medical Society of Virginia, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Joseph A Salomone III, MD  Associate Professor and Attending Staff, Truman Medical Centers, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine; EMS Medical Director, Kansas City, Missouri

Joseph A Salomone III, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, National Association of EMS Physicians, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD  Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine

Disclosure: eMedicine Salary Employment

Paul Blackburn, DO, FACOEP, FACEP  Program Director, Department of Emergency Medicine, Maricopa Medical Center; Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery, University of Arizona College of Medicine

Paul Blackburn, DO, FACOEP, FACEP is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians, American Medical Association, and Arizona Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Robert E O'Connor, MD, MPH  Professor and Chair, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Virginia Health System

Robert E O'Connor, MD, MPH is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Physician Executives, American Heart Association, American Medical Association, Medical Society of Delaware, National Association of EMS Physicians, Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, and Wilderness Medical Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

References

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Diagram of the Mollicutes class, to which the Mycoplasma genus belongs.
 
 
 
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