Chlamydophila pneumoniae is a bacteria that causes pneumonia in humans. It is transmitted through respiratory secretions and is often referred to as “walking pneumonia”. Diagnosis is based on clinical symptoms and treatment is with antibiotics, with hospitalization required for some patients.
Chlamydophila pneumoniae (C. pneumoniae) is a bacterial species that can cause pneumonia, a lung infection, in humans. The bacterial species is also sometimes called Chlamydia pneumoniae. Symptoms of this infection include shortness of breath, fever and an increased respiratory rate. Infection with this type of bacteria is often treated with an outpatient course of antibiotic medication.
The Chlamydophila pneumoniae bacterium is a small species that lacks a robust cell wall. It needs to live inside host cells to reproduce, which characterizes it as an obligate intracellular bacterium. The bacteria are often transmitted between people through respiratory secretions. Breathing in bacteria allows them to settle in lung tissue, reproduce inside cells, and cause symptoms. One risk factor for developing the infection is being in a crowded environment, such as a college campus or a nursing home.
Symptoms caused by Chlamydophila pneumoniae infection are often referred to as “walking pneumonia”. Affected patients may experience low-grade fever, cough, headache, pain on deep inspiration, shortness of breath, and fatigue over a long period of time, often lasting weeks. Symptoms typically aren’t severe enough to force patients to stay home from school or work.
Diagnosis of Chlamydophila pneumoniae lung infection is often based on a history of clinical symptoms. On physical examination, doctors may hear wheezing in the lungs. Checking the patient’s vital signs may reveal an increased respiratory rate or elevated core body temperature. Chest x-rays are often taken in these patients, and the resulting images may show widespread abnormalities in the lung fields. A specific diagnosis of chlamydial pneumonia can be confirmed by taking a sample of respiratory secretions and testing this fluid for the presence of the bacteria.
Most patients do not require hospitalization for treatment of Chlamydophila pneumoniae infection. Many doctors prescribe a course of antibiotics to patients with this disease. The classes of antibiotics used include macrolides, fluoroquinolones and tetracyclines. One commonly chosen drug is a macrolide class antibiotic called azithromycin, commonly referred to as a “z-pack.”
Some patients with a lung infection due to Chlamydophila pneumoniae require hospitalization. Older patients, people with medical conditions such as diabetes, or individuals with severely increased breathing rates are often hospitalized. People with asthma may also need special attention because the infection could trigger asthma attacks.
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