Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia in a series of 10 patients

OBJECTIVES: Describe the different features of a common disease:Mycoplasma pneumonia pneumonia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The hospital files of 10 consecutive patients with mi crobiologically proven Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia were reviewed retros pectively These 10 patients were hospitalized over a 15-month period among 150 patients admitted to the Versailles general hospital for community-acqu ired pneumonia. We compared our series with data in the literature. RESULTS: Most of the patients with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia were you ng apparently healthy adults. A bronchial risk factor (smoking, allergy) wa s however found in 60% of the patients. The principle symptom was persisten t cough (100%), with fever and joint pain, or sometimes headache and signs of ENT involvement Dyspnea was frequent, related more to associated broncho spasticity than to the severity of the pneumonia. Radiographic findings wer e quite variable. In one case hemolytic anemia and cold agglutinins suggest ed the diagnosis. Certain diagnosis was based on positive serology after ho spitalization due to the long delay between symptom onset and hospitalizati on. The prehospital period was characterized by a succession of ineffective empirical antibiotic regimens. In routine practice, macrolides or fluoroqu inolones administered for 2 to 3 weeks are the empirical antibiotics of cho ice. Outcome is generally favorable with rapid clinical and radiological im provement. Antibiotic therapy is not however sufficient alone to achieve im provement in the respiratory impairment: bronchodilators and corticosteroid s are necessary to treat the bronchospasticity. CONCLUSION: Despite the benign nature of community-acquired pneumonia due t o Mycoplasma pneumoniae, clinical manifestations, particularly bronchial in flammation may have important consequences.