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Mycoplasma pneumoniae Disease Manifestations and Epidemiology

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Molecular Biology and Pathogenicity of Mycoplasmas

Abstract

>Mycoplasma pneumoniae represents one of the most common etiological agents of non-nosocomial acquired diseases of the ororespiratory tract causing different clinical signs, which include mild respiratory symptoms, tracheobronchitis, interstitial pneumonia and in rare cases various pulmonary and extra-pulmonary complications, including intravascular hemolysis21, 28. The incidence of M. pneumoniae disease in a community varies among major outbreaks reported at intervals of every 3 to 5 years15, 29. Disease manifestations appear in all age groups but M. pneumoniae infections are most prevalent in household- and school-contacts. The pathomechanisms of M. pneumoniae include the transmission by aerosols, the adhesion of M. pneumoniae to respiratory epithelium cells and motile activity of this pathogen to reach the ciliabasis for further colonization and growth. Hidden in this cell compartment from the immune system, the agent is causing delayed host responses20, 32. Following an incubation time of about one to three weeks, the first clinical manifestations occur. They are mostly unspecific, including dry coughing and malaise. M. pneumoniae upper and lower respiratory tract acute diseases and the convalescence time are long lasting without resulting in protective immunity20. Differences in the amino acid sequences of the important functional sites of the major adhesin of M pneumoniae 40 were proposed as possible reasons for incomplete host protection.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Medical Faculty of the TU-University of Dresden, Fetscherstrasse 74, D-01307, Dresden, Germany

    Enno Jacobs

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel

    Shmuel Razin

  2. University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany

    Richard Herrmann

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Jacobs, E. (2002). Mycoplasma pneumoniae Disease Manifestations and Epidemiology. In: Razin, S., Herrmann, R. (eds) Molecular Biology and Pathogenicity of Mycoplasmas. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-306-47606-1_23

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/0-306-47606-1_23

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4757-8232-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-0-306-47606-8

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