Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections

Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a very small bacterium which lacks a cell wall. It is sensitive to macrolides, tetracyclines and fluoroquinolones. It is a common cause of community-acquired pneumonia in children and young adults, but the infection may also produce extrapulmonary symptoms. The incubation period is 1 to 4 weeks. The infection occurs as widespread epidemics every few years, but it is also present every year as an endemic infection regardless of the season .
Consider atypical mycobacterial infection in patients with

• persistent pulmonary infection and chronic pulmonary disease or immunosuppression
• suspected pulmonary tuberculosis that responds poorly to treatment.