Difference Between Walking Pneumonia and Pneumonia

Although the two conditions do share similarities, walking pneumonia and regular pneumonia also have a few differences. For example, the symptoms of walking pneumonia (such as cough, headache, and fatigue) are less severe, and they tend to come on more gradually than the symptoms of regular pneumonia.
 
Both regular pneumonia and walking pneumonia can be caused by a number of different types of bacteria and viruses. However, walking pneumonia is most commonly caused by an infection with Mycoplasma pneumoniae bacteria. The most common cause of pneumonia is the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae, also known as just pneumococcus.
 
Walking pneumonia is typically treated with antibiotics such as erythromycin, tetracycline, or doxycycline. With regular pneumonia, the choice of treatment will depend on whether the condition was caused by a virus, bacteria, a fungus, or something else -- antibiotics are not used in all cases.
 
(Click Walking Pneumonia or Pneumonia to learn more about the differences between these two conditions. These articles take an in-depth look at who is at risk for these conditions, how long treatment typically lasts, and more.)
 
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Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
 
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