Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma

Question 1

Mycoplasma human pathogens

Answer 1

• Mycoplasma pneumoniae (respiratory disease)

- Mycoplasma hominis (urogenital tract disease)

Question 2

Mycoplasma

Answer 2

• smallest free-living organism in nature, very difficult to detect
• common culture contaminant
• don’t have cells walls (CWD)
• resistant to cell wall active antibiotics (penicillins, cephalosporins)
• slow growing
• fastidious (require cholesterol and fatty acids)
• first isolated as pleuropneumonia (Eaton agent)
• known as PPLO (pleuropneumonia-like organism)
• grow with center imbedded below agar surface
• FRIED EGG appearance

Question 3

Mycoplasma transmission

Answer 3

• sexual contact
• vaginal delivery
• respiratory secretions

Question 4

M. pneumoniae

Answer 4

• adhere to epithelium of mucosal surfaces in oropharynx
• bronchitis, pharyngitis
• WALKING PNEUMONIA
• isolation indicates pathogenicity
• spread via close contact (dorms, military, prison)
• epidemics can occur

Question 5

M. hominis

Answer 5

• adhere to epithelium of urogenital tract
• normal flora, opportunistic
• salpingitis, pyelonephritis, PID, postpartum fevers

Question 6

Ureaplasma urealyticum

Answer 6

• urogenital tract infection
• normal flora of lower urinary tract in women
• upper urinary tract infection
• significant infection to fetus: chorioamnionitis (infection of placental membrane), congenital pneumonia, chronic lung disease, meningitis
• 10% NGU in men

Question 7

Mycoplasma genitalium

Answer 7

PID and NGU

Question 8

Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma specimen

Answer 8

• extremely sensitive to drying (because no cell wall)
• swabs in transport medium (calcium alginate or dacron)
• freeze specimen if not plated immediately

Question 9

Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma culturing

Answer 9

• M. pneumoniae not cultured; use serology

- M. hominis and U. urealyticum: culture

Question 10

Mycoplasma hominis identification

Answer 10

• requires arginine (turns pink)
• plate to agar: A8 agar, fried egg colonies, various shapes
• agar contains Penicillin
• Diene’s stain

Question 11

Ureaplasma urealyticum identification

Answer 11

• requires urea (turns pink)
• plate to A8 agar, look for irregularly shaped colonies
• examine under low power microscope
• T-strain (tiny)

Question 12

M. pneumoniae treatment

Answer 12

erythromycin, tetracycline

Question 13

M. hominis treatment

Answer 13

resistant to erythromycin; use clindamycin or lincomycin

Question 14

U. urealyticum treatment

Answer 14

resistant to clindamycin or lincomycin; use erythromycin