Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma

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Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma
G. Jamjoom
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Mollicutes

• Five families 200 species
• 16 species colonize humans
• 5 species associated with human disease

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Properties of Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma

• Smallest free-living bacteria (0.1-0.3)um
• No cell wall
• (resistant to penicillins and cephalosporins)
• Susceptible to tetracyclines and erythromycin
• Cell membrane contains sterols (unique
• 
  property)
• Strict aerobes
• Small colonies (fried-egg appearance (except
• M.pneumonia)

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Pathogenic Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma

• Mycoplasma pneumonia Respiratory tract
• Mycoplasma hominis Respiratory tract,
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  Genitourinary tract
• Mycoplasma genitalium Genitourinary tract
• Mycoplasma fermentans Respiratory tract,
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  Genitourinary tract
• Ureaplasma urealyticum Respiratory tract,
• 
  Genitourinary tract

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Mycoplasma pneumonia

• Only infects man
• Worldwide disease
• Transmitted by inhalation of droplets
• Infection more in children than adults
• Leads to loss of ciliated epithelial cells
• Causes upper and lower respiratory infections

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Mycoplasma pneumonia

• Diagnosis
• Culture ( slow)
• Molecular Diagnosis
• - PCR
• Serolgy
• - Cold agglutinin (sensitivity 65, poor
  
• specificity
  
• - ELISA

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Mycoplasma pneumonia

• Treatment
• - Erythromycin
• - Fluoroquinolones
• - Tetracycline
• Vaccination
• - No effective vaccine available

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Other Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma

• Asymptomatic carriage common
• Suspected role in
• M.genitalium
• U. urealyticum
• - nongonococcal urithrits
• M. Hominis
• - pyelonephritis, pelvic
  inflammatory
• disease, postpartum fever