However, newer techniques aid in the definitive identification of the pathogen, which may lead to more individualized treatment plans.
[13] Chest radiographs (X-ray photographs) often show a pulmonary infection before physical signs of atypical pneumonia are observable at all.
In addition, this form of pneumonia is atypical in presentation with only moderate amounts of sputum, no consolidation, only small increases in white cell counts, and no alveolar exudate.
[13][8] At the time that atypical pneumonia was first described, organisms like Mycoplasma, Chlamydophila, and Legionella were not yet recognized as bacteria and instead considered viruses.
As the conditions caused by the various agents have different courses and respond to different treatments, the identification of the specific causative pathogen is important.