Ten and a half years seroepidemiology ofMycoplasma pneumoniaeinfection in Denmark

Abstract

SUMMARYThe study was based on a computerized card index of 9161 patients who had at least one positive blood specimen in the Mycoplasma pneumoniae complement fixation test. A total of 12562 specimens from these patients had been sent to Statens Seruminstitut from hospitals and general practitioners during a 10-5-year period. The period encompassed a previously described endemic period in a 30-year study of the epidemiological pattern ofM. pneumoniae infection in Denmark [1]. The serological data presented support the hypothesis advanced here that a more than sixfold increase of children in day care might have contributed to a change in the epidemiological pattern. The correlation between age and level of specific antibodies, as well as persistence of seropositivity, were also investigated.

A comparison study between GeXP-based multiplex-PCR and serology assay for Mycoplasma pneumoniae detection in children with community acquired pneumonia

“…In young children, since the serology positive cases may be result from other pathogen infection, the multiplex-PCR should be used to rectify these sorts of false positive cases determined by serology. Furthermore, a number of studies have demonstrated a weak or deferred antibody response to M. pneumoniae in young children [31][32][33][34][35][36], suggesting a possible reason leading to the highest Serology (−)/Multiplex-PCR (+) rate observed in the youngest patients group in our study. In conclusion, owing to the high coinfection rate and weak antibody response in young children, the Mp infection is needed to be monitored not only by the serology assay.…”

Mycoplasma pneumoniae as an Under- Recognized Agent of Vasculitic Disorders

“…In the serological diagnosis of M. pneumoniae infection, it is important to recall that antibodies to M. pneumoniae (that is, both the IgM-and IgG-class antibodies which are available for serological testing in routine clinical practice) can persist at detectable levels in the serum for several months or even years after the acute phase of infection [Eun et al, 2008;Lind & Bentzon, 1991]. In addition, given that the human can be infected with M. pneumoniae several times during his or her lifetime with or without clinical symptoms, it seems likely that there are many asymptomatic antibody carriers in the general population [Foy, 1993], assuming the fact that antibody responses are evoked during each instance of infection [Eun et al, 2008;Ito et al, 2001;Kung et al, 2007].…”

Respiratory tract infections by Mycoplasma pneumoniae in children: a review of diagnostic and therapeutic measures

“…In the youngest group, boys predominate and there is no explanation for this dierence in gender distribution. In the second age peak, women predominate [88]. The rate of MP infections under endemic conditions in children aged 5±9 years was 4/1000 per year and in children between 10 and 14 years 3/1000 per year [15,42].…”