Mycoplasma pneumoniaeand Its Role as a Human Pathogen

Abstract

Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a unique bacterium that does not always receive the attention it merits considering the number of illnesses it causes and the degree of morbidity associated with it in both children and adults. Serious infections requiring hospitalization, while rare, occur in both adults and children and may involve multiple organ systems. The severity of disease appears to be related to the degree to which the host immune response reacts to the infection. Extrapulmonary complications involving all of the major organ systems can occur in association with M. pneumoniae infection as a result of direct invasion and/or autoimmune response. The extrapulmonary manifestations are sometimes of greater severity and clinical importance than the primary respiratory infection. Evidence for this organism's contributory role in chronic lung conditions such as asthma is accumulating. Effective management of M. pneumoniae infections can usually be achieved with macrolides, tetracyclines, or fluoroquinolones. As more is learned about the pathogenesis and immune response elicited by M. pneumoniae, improvement in methods for diagnosis and prevention of disease due to this organism may occur

Role of Mycoplasma pneumoniae glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) in mediating interactions with the human extracellular matrix

“…Between 3 and 30 % of all cases of community-acquired pneumonia can be attributed to this micro-organism (Waites & Talkington, 2004). M. pneumoniae mainly infects older children and young adults but recent studies have shown that all age groups can be affected (von Baum et al, 2009).…”

Attachment organelle ultrastructure correlates with phylogeny, not gliding motility properties, in Mycoplasma pneumoniae relatives

“…These organisms lack cell walls and in nature are always associated with vertebrate hosts. Several mycoplasma species exhibit a polarized cell morphology, exemplified by Mycoplasma pneumoniae, a significant causative agent of assorted respiratory and non-respiratory human disease conditions (Waites & Talkington, 2004). This surfaceadherent organism exhibits the pleomorphy typical of its genus, but is characterized by a prosthecal terminal organelle or attachment organelle at one pole (Balish, 2006).…”

Protein Kinase/Phosphatase Function Correlates with Gliding Motility in Mycoplasma pneumoniae

“…M ycoplasma pneumoniae is a cell wall-less bacterial pathogen of the human respiratory tract causing primary atypical pneumonia and tracheobronchitis (1). Mycoplasmas lack major biosynthetic pathways, classical transcriptional regulators, chemotactic and other two-component systems, and the prototypical prokaryotic cell division apparatus (2,3).…”