Mycoplasma pneumoniae

bacterium

Learn about this topic in these articles:

In pneumonia: Bacterial pneumonia
Mycoplasmal pneumonia, caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae, an extremely small organism, usually affects children and young adults; few cases beyond age 50 are seen. Most outbreaks of this disease are confined to families, small neighbourhoods, or institutions, although epidemics can occur. M. pneumoniae grows on the mucous membrane that lines…
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In respiratory disease: Pneumonia
Mycoplasma pneumoniae is the single most common cause of pneumonia in school-age children and young adults. The infection produces soft patchy shadows on the chest radiograph and relatively few signs on physical examination. A nonproductive cough and a fever occur for a few days. Familial…
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