When atypical pneumonia is "very atypical"

The authors present the case of a 14 years old boy attended in a hospital emergency room for thoracic pain and difficult breathing. The Rx shows a condensation in LSD and IgM serology positive for mycoplasma pneumoniae. Initially it was diagnosed with atypical pneumonia and was treated with amoxicillin and clarythromicin. Forty-eight hours later he attends the Health Primary Care Center. Primary care medical history contains the paternal antecedent of having suffered a pleuropulmonar tuberculosis five years earlier. The child presented a positive Mantoux with normal Rx at that time and he was treated with prophylactic isoniazid. These records raise the question of the potential diagnosis of tuberculosis, performing the mantoux test again and a smear and culture for mycobacterium tuberculosis, resulting both positive. The initial treatment was replaced by a treatment with four antituberculous drugs. The evaluation of the renewal of prescriptions by the primary care nurse questioned the correct treatment compliance. This led to an intervention of the primary care team to inform, strengthen and force the responsibility of the family about the correct treatment compliance.