Mycoplasma are unique prokaryotes that lack a cell wall. They can cause respiratory infections like pneumonia that spread through coughing and sneezing. Symptoms include cough, fatigue, and weakness. Diagnosis involves blood tests to detect antibodies. Treatment involves antibiotics like erythromycin and doxycycline. Prevention relies on good hygiene practices.

1. R. Mariyakannan
M. Sc., Microbiology
Bharathidasan University
Trichy-24

2.  Mycoplasma species are the
free living organisms.
 These organisms are uniqe
among prokaryotes in that they
lack a cell wall.
 Mycoplasma is often poorly
understood and misdiagnosed.

3.  Mycoplasma is spread very much like the common
cold, through respiratory droplets by coughing and
sneezing or by direct contact with objects soiled by
these .
 Transmission is thought to require prolonged close
contact with an infected person. Mycoplasma
infection can occur at any age.

5.  The name Mycoplasma, from the Greek mykes
(fungus) and plasma (formed) was proposed in the
1950s, replasing the term.
 Refering organisms similar to the causative agent of
 Pleuro Pneumonia Like Organisms (PPLO).
 Contagious Bovine Pleuro Pneumonia (CBPP).

6.  Prokaryotic microbes.
 Size of 150-250 nm.
 Lack of a cell wall membrane.
 Sterol containing cell membrane.
 Fastidious growth requirements.
 Fried egg (or) mulberry colonies on agar.

7.  However, the term mycoplasma has been frequently
used to denote any species included in the class
Mollicutes).
 The common characteristics are the complete lack
of a bacterial cell wall, osmotic fragility, colony
shape and filterability through 450-nm pore
diameter membrane filters.

8.  Mycoplasma can be cultured on liquid or solid
medium.
 Growths optimally at 35 to 37˚c.
 Medium of growth should be enriched with 20%
horse or human serum.
 The colonies as fried egg appearance.

9.  Scientists have isolated at least 17 species of
Mycoplasma from humans,
 Four types of organisms are responsible for most
clinically significant infections that may come to the
attention of practicing physicians.

10.  Mycoplasma pneumoniae,
 Mycoplasma hominis,
 Mycoplasma genitalium, and
 Ureaplasma species.

11.  Cross-section of Mycoplasma bacteria, a common
cause of atypical pneumonia.
 This bacteria is unusual in that it lacks a cell wall.

12.  The disease is world wide, found in all age groups.
 Trasmission by drop let infection of nasopharyngeal
secretions.
 Spread is associated with close contact of infected
person.
 Important infection in military personal.
 Even the persons recovered from infection will harbor
the pathogens for 2 months or more.

13.  Often symptoms are so mild that the infection is not
recognised. In the early stages of the illness,
 Mycoplasma can appear similar to a cold or the flu.
 It may lead to a persistent cough and fatigue that can
last for months.

14. Typical symptoms include:
 Headaches
 Fever
 Sore throat
 Fatigue
 Lethargy
 Dry cough

15. Mycoplasma may lead to:
 Bronchitis
 Wheezing
 Pneumonia
 Ear infections
 Sinusitis

16.  Mycoplasma can be difficult to diagnose, as it mimics
the symptoms of other bacterial and viral infections,
such as the common cold.
 Diagnosis is often made by medical examination and
may require a blood test and or chest x-ray.
 It does not test for the bacteria itself.
 Interpretation of results can be difficult as it combines
two types of antibodies, one that rises acutely with the
illness IgM and IgG that remains positive for year sand
indicates prior exposure .

17.  Colonization of infants by genital Mycoplasma
species
 Usually occurs during passage through an infected
birth canal, and genital mycoplasmal organisms
 Have been isolated from the upper respiratory tract
in 15% of infants.
 Colonization usually does not persist beyond 2
years.

18.  Major infections are produced by M.hominis and
M.urealyticum
 Ureaplasma urealyticum, a common commensals of
the urogenital tract of sexually mature humans
 Is gaining recognition as an important opportunistic
pathogen during pregnancy.

19.  Urethritis
 Pyelonephritis
 Pelvic inflammatory disease
 Endometritis or chorioamnionitis
 Infectious arthritis
 Surgical wound infections
 Neonatal pneumonia
 Neonatal meningitis

20.  Mycoplasmas tend to cause more severe infections
in the HIV infected persons and cause prolonged
infections.

21.  Agglutin Cold ation
test is associated with
macroglobulin
antibodies that
agglutinate human
RBC at low
temperature.

22.  The serial dilutions of patients
serum are mixed with an equal
volume of 0.2% washed
human blood group erythrocytes
at low temperature.
 The clumping is observed at
40˚c overnight.
 However the clumping is
dissociated at 37˚c
 A titer of 1:32 is
suggestive.
 A raised titer in paired serum sample is more suggestive of
infection.

24.  The test is performed by mixing serial dilutions of
patients serum with heat killed suspension of
Streptococcus MG.(Mitis Group)
 The sample is incubated at 37˚C.
 The agglutination titer of 1:20
suggestive.

25.  Penicillin,
 Ampicillin,
 Cefotaxime,
 Erythromycin,
 Clindamycin,
 Chloramphenicol and
 Tetracycline.

26.  For isolation swabs from
throat or respiratory
secretions inoculated not
Mycoplasma medium
 The growth is slow and
takes 1 – 3 weeks
 The colonies appear as
fried egg, with central
opaque granular area
surrounded by flat
translucent peripheral
zone

28.  The colonies showing
typical fried egg
appearance.
 The colonies appear 2-6 days
of incubation.
 The size of the colonies
can be from 10 – 600
microns in size.

30.  The metabolism of
Mycoplasma are
fermentative.
 Most species utilize
glucose or arginine
 Urea is hydrolyzed by
Ureaplasma only

31.  The Ureaplasma are the
only non fermentative
mollicutes, they do
not ferment the growth
substrates such as
carbohydrates and amino
acids like other mollicules
but they depend on the
hydrolysis of urea for
their energy

32.  Exclusion from childcare, school or work is not
necessary.
 No vaccine is available at present. Effective
antibiotic treatment is available, although most
people recover completely without it.
 Antibiotics may speed recovery, but appear not to
reduce the period for which a personisable to
transmit infection.
 There is no medical evidence that suggests
antibiotic treatment effectively treats the tiredness
that can linger with an infection.

33.  Erythromycin (M. pneumoniae and
Ureaplasma spp.)
 Tetracyclines,
 Clindamycin, (M. hominis)
 Levofloxacin,
 Doxycycline,
 Gentamycin.

34.  As with any respiratory tract infection, it is
important to cover your mouth and nose when
coughing and sneezing.
 Use tissues when coughing, sneezing or wiping the
nose, and dispose of these appropriately.
 It is recommended that good hand washing
procedures are followed.