Mycoplasma

Question 1

What are the bacteriological features of Mycoplasma?

Answer 1

• The smallest known free living microorganisms
• No rigid cell wall
- Spreads person to person
- No peptidoglycan cell wall….Cell membrane only
I.E., ANTIBIOTICS THAT WORK ON CELL WALLS WONT KILL THEM

Question 2

Which organ does Mycoplasma pneumoniae infect?

Answer 2

LUNGS

Question 3

Which organ do Mycoplasma homini and Ureaplasma urealyticum infect?

Answer 3

GENITAL TRACT

Question 4

How can M. pneumoniae spread?

Answer 4

Person to person by infected respiratory droplets during close contact. Any age – infection rates highest children/ young adults

Question 5

What is the clinical presentation of M. pneumoniae?

Answer 5

• Cough, pharyngitis, rhinorrhoea, ear pain
• Pneumonia (10%)
• Extra pulmonary manifestations:
– Haemolysis (rarely clinically significant),
– Skin rash including Stevens-Johnson syndrome,
– Carditis
– Encephalitis (more common in children)

Question 6

What is the diagnosis of M. pneumoniae?

Answer 6

Serology / nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT)

Question 7

What is the treatment for M. pneumoniae?

Answer 7

macrolides / doxycycline