Mycoplasma Pneumonia

Oren Kupfer, MD, and Paul C. Stillwell, MD, FAAP

Introduction/Etiology/Epidemiology

•Mycoplasma pneumoniae is considered an “atypical” bacterial organism because it lacks a cell wall; the other organisms that commonly cause atypical pneumonia are Chlamydophila pneumoniae and Legionella; Bordetella pertussis, Bordetella parapertussis, and Chlamydia psittaci are other atypical bacteria that may be associated with pneumonia.

•Infection with M pneumoniae is a common cause of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children that accounts for 16% of the pneumonias in hospitalized children aged 5–9 years and 23% in children aged 10–17 years. It can occur in clusters related to schools or smaller communities.

•M pneumoniae is the most common single infecting agent that causes CAP in adolescents.

•Mycoplasma can also be an etiologic origin of otitis media and acute tracheobronchitis.

•Mucocutaneous lesions are unusual. Other extrapulmonary (particularly neurological) problems have been associated with Mycoplasma infections.

Clinical Features

•The infection usually begins with pharyngitis and nonproductive cough, followed by chest pain and dyspnea. Subsequently, the cough may become productive.

•The degree of fever is highly variable.

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