What is mycoplasma pneumonia?

About Mycoplasma Pneumonia

• It’s a type of bacteria but acts more like a virus and spreads faster from person to person.
• It infiltrates both sides of the lungs, increasing cough and breathing difficulties. It damages the lining of the respiratory system (throat, lungs, windpipe).
• Symptoms
  • It is not that rapidly infectious as a virus but it can affect our throat and our nasal cavities and descend to the lungs very quickly, causing pneumonia.
  • Signs include the breakup of red blood cells, a skin rash and joint pain.
  • Children may report a stuffy or runny nose, sore throat, watery eyes, wheezing, vomitting and diarrhoea.
• Who is at risk?
  • The bacteria can cause pneumonia in any age group, especially in children, elderly or those with weakened lungs.
  • Vulnerable groups, who already have respiratory issues, are prone to developing this infection in a severe form.
• Treatment: There are multiple antibiotics which effectively cure this infection.

Q1) What is Bacteria?

These are any of a group of microscopic single-celled organisms that live in enormous numbers in almost every environment on Earth, from deep-sea vents to deep below Earth’s surface to the digestive tracts of humans.Bacteria lack a membrane-bound nucleus and other internal structures and are therefore ranked among the unicellular life-forms called prokaryotes.

Source: China mysterious disease outbreak: What’s mycoplasma pneumoniae, the bacteria that’s going round with a virus?