Key Points
- Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections have a wide spectrum of clinical symptoms, including extrapulmonary manifestations.
- Most of these infections are self-limiting, but serious and life-threatening complications can occur.
Common signs and symptoms
Tracheobronchitis symptoms
Common symptoms include:
- Cough
- Fever
- Headache
- Malaise
Illness onset can be gradual and subacute, slowly progressing to a higher fever and persistent cough.
Pneumonia symptoms
M. pneumoniae pneumonia is often referred to as "walking pneumonia".
In addition to tracheobronchitis symptoms, pneumonia symptoms can include mild dyspnea. While the cough is initially dry, it may later produce moderate amounts of non-bloody sputum.
Chest auscultation may show scattered or localized rhonchi and expiratory wheezes. Chest radiograph often shows unilateral or bilateral bronchopneumonia.
Younger patients may have different symptoms
Infections in children younger than 5 years of age may run subclinical, be mild, and not result in pneumonia.
These infections are often characterized by:
- Coryza without concomitant fever
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Wheezing
Prolonged clinical course possible
The disease can persist for months; however, it's frequently mild and self-resolving.
Complications
Severe complications are uncommon but can result in hospitalization and sometimes death.
Complications involving the respiratory system include exacerbation of asthma and severe pneumonia.
Other complications include:
- Encephalitis
- Gastrointestinal complaints
- Hemolytic anemia
- Nonspecific myalgias, arthralgias, or polyarthropathies
- Renal dysfunction
- Septic arthritis
- Skin disorders
Skin disorders can include
- Erythema multiforme
- Mycoplasma-induced rash and mucositis
- Stevens-Johnson syndrome
- Toxic epidermal necrolysis