Mycoplasma pneumoniae
Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a topic covered in the Johns Hopkins ABX Guide.
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MICROBIOLOGY
- Aerobic, fastidious organism.
- Organism lacks a cell wall. Member of Mollicutes class, among the smallest known free-living bacteria.
- Lack of cell wall means that beta-lactam antibiotics have no effect.
- Historically termed the "Eaton agent," prior to successful cultivation in 1962.
- Believed to be a frequent cause of atypical pneumonia but historically a difficult diagnosis and serology inaccurate often.
- Not a part of normal human oropharyngeal flora.
- The organism produces community-acquired respiratory distress syndrome (CARDS) toxin implicated in the colonization of upper airways and pathogenesis as intracellular pathogen → assists with the invasion of cells.
- M. pneumoniae culture is difficult. Growth often requires 7-21 days, successful in 40-90% of cases.
- Culture media requires heart infusion, peptone, yeast extract, salts, glucose or arginine + fetal calf serum (5-20%).
- Bacterial overgrowth a common problem.
- Macrolide resistance growing issue worldwide and especially common in China (90% of isolates).
- Outbreak investigations in the U.S. have found macrolide resistance rates of 8-27%.
-- To view the remaining sections of this topic, please log in or purchase a subscription --
MICROBIOLOGY
- Aerobic, fastidious organism.
- Organism lacks a cell wall. Member of Mollicutes class, among the smallest known free-living bacteria.
- Lack of cell wall means that beta-lactam antibiotics have no effect.
- Historically termed the "Eaton agent," prior to successful cultivation in 1962.
- Believed to be a frequent cause of atypical pneumonia but historically a difficult diagnosis and serology inaccurate often.
- Not a part of normal human oropharyngeal flora.
- The organism produces community-acquired respiratory distress syndrome (CARDS) toxin implicated in the colonization of upper airways and pathogenesis as intracellular pathogen → assists with the invasion of cells.
- M. pneumoniae culture is difficult. Growth often requires 7-21 days, successful in 40-90% of cases.
- Culture media requires heart infusion, peptone, yeast extract, salts, glucose or arginine + fetal calf serum (5-20%).
- Bacterial overgrowth a common problem.
- Macrolide resistance growing issue worldwide and especially common in China (90% of isolates).
- Outbreak investigations in the U.S. have found macrolide resistance rates of 8-27%.
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Last updated: February 13, 2021
Citation
Auwaerter, Paul. "Mycoplasma Pneumoniae." Johns Hopkins ABX Guide, The Johns Hopkins University, 2021. Johns Hopkins Guides, www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_ABX_Guide/540373/all/Mycoplasma_pneumoniae.
Auwaerter P. Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Johns Hopkins ABX Guide. The Johns Hopkins University; 2021. https://www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_ABX_Guide/540373/all/Mycoplasma_pneumoniae. Accessed March 29, 2023.
Auwaerter, P. (2021). Mycoplasma pneumoniae. In Johns Hopkins ABX Guide. The Johns Hopkins University. https://www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_ABX_Guide/540373/all/Mycoplasma_pneumoniae
Auwaerter P. Mycoplasma Pneumoniae [Internet]. In: Johns Hopkins ABX Guide. The Johns Hopkins University; 2021. [cited 2023 March 29]. Available from: https://www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_ABX_Guide/540373/all/Mycoplasma_pneumoniae.
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