Which symptoms are commonly associated with atypical pneumonia?

Atypical pneumonia, often caused by organisms such as Mycoplasma pneumoniae or Chlamydia pneumoniae, typically presents with milder and less classic symptoms compared to typical bacterial pneumonia. The symptoms associated with atypical pneumonia often include a low-grade fever, which is less intense than the high fever seen in typical pneumonia cases. Additionally, malaise is commonly reported, as many patients experience a sense of tiredness or unwellness without the severe respiratory distress commonly seen in other types of pneumonia.

This presentation is distinct from the more severe symptoms associated with typical pneumonia, such as high fever and productive cough, which are hallmarks of bacterial infections like Streptococcus pneumoniae. Other options mention conditions not characteristic of atypical pneumonia, such as pleural effusion and severe pain, which are more often associated with complications of pneumonia rather than the atypical variety. Lastly, while wheezing can occur in atypical pneumonia, stridor is not a common symptom associated with this type of infection, typically indicating upper airway obstruction or other conditions entirely different from pneumonia. Thus, the combination of low-grade fever and malaise accurately captures the typical clinical picture of atypical pneumonia.