Mycoplasma Infections

Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a leading cause of community-acquired respiratory infections in children and young adults. It can cause disease sporadically and as outbreaks in closed communities such as boarding schools and military recruit camps. Pneumonia secondary to this organism is remarkable for a paucity of auscultatory chest findings, and radiographic findings are nonpathognomonic. A host of extrapulmonary complications have been reported, but many of these may be coincidental because the underlying disease is very common. Diagnosis is usually made on clinical grounds, but nucleic acid-based assays provide excellent sensitivity and specificity. Disease is usually self-limited and rarely fatal. Because of the absence of a cell wall, β-lactam antibiotics are ineffective. Treatment with either macrolides or doxycycline shortens the clinical course. Other mycoplasmas causing human disease are also briefly discussed.