New insights into the pathogenesis and detection of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections

摘要

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