Symptom Differences Between Mycoplasma and Influenza A
Disease description:
I haven't been feeling well lately. At first, it seemed like a common cold—fever and cough—and I thought it might be influenza A. However, later I heard that symptoms of mycoplasma infection can also resemble these, and now I'm confused. What are the differences between the symptoms of these two diseases?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Ren Yi
Influenza A refers to type A influenza. The symptoms of Mycoplasma infection and influenza A differ in terms of affected areas, fever presentation, respiratory symptoms, gastrointestinal symptoms, and other aspects.
Mycoplasma infection and influenza A share some similar symptoms, such as fever, cough, sore throat, and fatigue. However, these two diseases differ in terms of causative agents, modes of transmission, symptoms, and treatment approaches. Mycoplasma infection can affect multiple areas including the lungs, urogenital tract, skin and mucous membranes, and the central nervous system. Influenza A mainly affects the respiratory tract.
Mycoplasma infection typically presents with a moderate fever, with temperatures commonly between 37-38°C, although fever may not occur in some cases, and some patients may develop high fever. Patients with mild influenza A may not exhibit fever symptoms, while those with severe illness usually develop high fever, with body temperature rapidly rising above 38°C, even exceeding 40°C, and persisting for more than three days.
Mycoplasma infection often presents as dry cough or cough with minimal phlegm, and the cough may persist for several weeks and be resistant to treatment. Influenza A-related cough may be more severe and is often accompanied by sputum production. Gastrointestinal symptoms are relatively uncommon in Mycoplasma infection, whereas influenza A often causes symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea during the illness.
