Walking pneumonia is also called atypical pneumonia and in this condition the patient does not require to be hospitalized or remain bed ridden. As compared to normal pneumonia in this condition the patient can move around in spite of suffering from this disease. Walking pneumonia is caused by the organism mycoplasma penumoniae.

Around 2 million individuals in America suffer from this condition every year. Among these cases of walking pneumonia around 70 to 75% individuals belong to the age group of 5 and 16. In the initial stages no noticeable symptoms may be observed but with passage of time the patients may display some specific symptoms.

The symptoms associated with walking pneumonia include lethargy or sudden reduction in the energy levels, cold and sudden chills. In this condition the severity of the cold tends to increase with time. Patients may also experience headaches that may be mild or even severe in some cases. Fever and throat complaints such as throat rashes may also be experienced.

Many patients suffering from walking pneumonia tend to experience persistent runny nose and sore throat. This may be accompanied with abdominal pain or pain in regions of the eye, ears and chest. Some patients also tend to complain of shallow or even rapid breathing because of fatigue. The symptoms related to this condition may surface after 1 to 3 weeks and the symptoms initially start with loss of energy and feelings of exhaustion.

Treatment of walking pneumonia includes taking some antibiotics. The antibiotics prescribed are based on the current condition of the patient. If the patient’s condition is particularly severe then the antibiotics may be administered intravenously. This condition is contagious and can spread through respiratory secretions such as sneezes, coughs or when a person talks or laughs. The antibiotics typically prescribed for this condition include clarithromycin along with tetracycline.