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Review
. 2008 Dec;3(6):635-48.
doi: 10.2217/17460913.3.6.635.

New insights into the pathogenesis and detection of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections

Ken B Waites  1 , Mitchell F Balish, T Prescott Atkinson
Affiliations
Review

New insights into the pathogenesis and detection of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections

Ken B Waites et al. Future Microbiol. 2008 Dec.

Abstract

Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a common cause of upper and lower respiratory tract infections in persons of all ages and may be responsible for up to 40% of community-acquired pneumonias. A wide array of extrapulmonary events may accompany the infections caused by this organism, related to autoimmunity or direct spread. This review includes a discussion of the latest knowledge concerning the molecular pathological basis of mycoplasmal respiratory disease, how the organism interacts with the host immune system and its association with the development of chronic conditions such as asthma, recent emergence of macrolide resistance and the status of laboratory diagnostic methods.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Terminal attachment organelle of Mycoplasma pneumoniae.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Scanning electron micrograph of Mycoplasma pneumoniae cells grown on glass coverslips
Electron micrograph is provided courtesy of Jennifer Hatchel and the Miami University Electron Microscopy Facility. Bar length = 1 μ.
Figure 3
Figure 3. Role of Mycoplasma pneumoniae in chronic asthma
Initial infection in a subject with established allergic asthma and Th2-biased airway inflammation followed by chronic phase with multiple virulence factors (CARDS TX, H2O2, lipopeptides and direct adherence to surface immunoreceptors) contributing to maintenance of chronic airway inflammation and hyper-reactivity. CARDS TX: Community-acquired respiratory distress syndrome toxin.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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    1. Balish MF, Krause DC. Mycoplasmas: a distinct cytoskeleton for wall-less bacteria. J. Mol. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 2006;11(3−5):244–255. [of interestDescribes the mycoplasmal cytoskeletal structures and protein components of the attachment organelle and how they might interact and contribute to its various functions. These processes are essential for cytadherence, the primary virulence factor responsible for M. pneumoniae respiratory disease.] - PubMed

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