Mycoplasmal Pneumonia
Mycoplasmal Pneumonia Causes
Mycoplasmal pneumonia is caused by a very small bacterium, mycoplasma pneumoniae, in the class Mollicutes. Bacteria is transferred or transmitted to another person through respiratory droplets.
Mycoplasmal Pneumonia Definition
Mycoplasmal pneumonia is a bacterial infection caused by a very small bacterium, in the class Mollicutes. Characteristically, these organisms are resistant to penicillin as well as in other beta-lactam antibiotics. The bacteria closely associated with this condition spread via transmission of respiratory droplets. When the bacteria get attached to the mucosa of a host organism, it will extract nutrients to grow. Its reproduction is by binary fission. The sites where it can commonly get attached include the upper and lower respiratory tract which results to bronchitis, pharyngitis and pneumonia. Atypical Pneumonia refers to the infection caused by this very small bacterium primarily due to its protracted course. Moreover, it is characterized by lack of sputum production and by multiple extra-pulmonary symptoms. Chronic mycoplasma infections had also been associated with rheumatoid arthritis. The severity of illnesses from mycoplasma is often defined as mild to moderate.
Mycoplasmal Pneumonia Symptoms and Signs
What sets Mycoplasmal pneumonia infections apart from other types of pneumonia is the relatively slow progression of its symptoms, a positive blood test for cold-hemagglutinins among 50-70% of infected patients noted after 10 days, absence of bacteria in the sample of gram-stained sputum as well as absence of growth on blood agar. Mycoplasmal atypical pneumonia may be further aggravated by encephalitis, hemolytic anemia Stevens-Johnson's Syndrome or Guillain Barre Syndrome. It is also characterized by lack of sputum production and other extra-pulmonary conditions.
Mycoplasmal Pneumonia Treatment
Treatment usually involves drug therapy, particularly antibiotics, wherein macrolide antibiotics, second generation quinolones and doxycycline are the ideal drugs of choice.