Characteristics of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection identified on culture in a pediatric clinic. Issue 2 (11th December 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Katsushima, Yuriko; Katsushima, Fumio; Suzuki, Yu; Seto, Junji; Mizuta, Katsumi; Nishimura, Hidekazu; Matsuzaki, Yoko
• Is Part Of: Pediatrics international. Volume 57:Issue 2(2015)
• Page Start: 247
• Page End: 252
• Publication Date: 2014-12-11
• Subjects: Pediatrics -- Periodicals; 618.92
• DOI: 10.1111/ped.12513
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1328-8067

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="ped12513-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Background</title> <p>The appropriate choice of antibiotics against <italic>Mycoplasma pneumoniae</italic> infection has become difficult, as the prevalence of macrolide‐resistant <italic>M. pneumoniae</italic> has increased.</p> </sec> <sec id="ped12513-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>Throat swab specimens were collected from children with clinically suspected <italic>M. pneumoniae</italic> infection while visiting an outpatient clinic. Cultures for <italic>M. pneumoniae</italic> were done, and all isolates were sequenced for the presence of a mutation in <italic>23S rRNA</italic>.</p> </sec> <sec id="ped12513-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Of the 80 specimens collected between February 2012 and March 2013, 27 (34%) were positive for <italic>M. pneumoniae</italic> on culture. Macrolide‐resistant mutation was detected in 24 isolates (89%): 23 isolates had an A2063G transition, and one had a C2617G mutation. Both the median age and the prevalence of pneumonia were significantly higher in <italic>M. pneumoniae</italic>‐positive than in <italic>M. pneumoniae</italic>‐negative children (median, 7 years vs 4 years; 88.9% vs 60.4%, respectively). The percentage of serum samples with particle agglutination titer ≥1:160 was 69.6% in <italic>M. pneumoniae</italic>‐positive cases and 17.6% in <italic>M. pneumoniae</italic>‐negative cases when the serum was collected ≥4 days after the onset of fever. Defervescence within 72 h after the initiation of macrolides never occurred in <italic>M. pneumoniae</italic>‐positive children and also did not occur in 54% of <italic>M. pneumoniae</italic>‐negative children. Switching to either minocycline or tosufloxacin resulted in fever resolution within 48 h in <italic>M. pneumoniae</italic>‐positive children.</p> </sec> <sec id="ped12513-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>The described clinical and laboratory characteristics of <italic>M. pneumoniae</italic> infection may be useful in guiding appropriate treatment in an outpatient clinic.</p> </sec> </abstract>