Mycoplasmosis

Mycoplasmosis is an anthroponotic infectious disease characterized by damage to the respiratory system, genitourinary organs, central nervous system and intrauterine damage to the fetus.

Etiology and pathogenesis

Damage to the respiratory system is caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae. M. hominis and T-mycoplasmas parasitize the genitourinary organs. Mycoplasmas are resistant to sulfonamide drugs, penicillin, streptomycin, and sensitive to antibiotics of the tetracycline group (T-mycoplasmas are also sensitive to erythromycin).

The gateway of infection is the mucous membranes of the respiratory or genitourinary tract (depending on the type of mycoplasma), where the inflammatory process occurs. Transmission of the pathogen occurs through airborne droplets or sexual contact. Pregnant women may experience intrauterine infection of the fetus.

Symptoms and course

The incubation period is from 4 to 25 days (usually 7-14 days). The infection occurs in the form of acute respiratory disease, acute pneumonia, abacterial (nongonococcal) urethritis, and gynecological inflammatory diseases.

Mycoplasma acute respiratory infections are most often found in military personnel during the first 1-3 months of service (increased incidence may also occur in other newly formed teams). Mycoplasma acute respiratory infections are characterized by exudative pharyngitis and rhinopharyngitis. General health is satisfactory, body temperature is normal or subfebrile.

Patients complain of a sore throat, runny nose, sometimes cough, and moderate muscle pain. The mucous membrane of the pharynx is hyperemic, somewhat swollen, the palatine tonsils are slightly enlarged.

Acute pneumonia begins acutely with chills, increased body temperature, and symptoms of intoxication (weakness, weakness, aching pain throughout the body, headache, lack of appetite). The most common sign of damage to the respiratory system is a cough (first dry, then with mucous sputum, rarely mixed with blood); hoarseness and shortness of breath are somewhat less common.

On physical and radiological examination, mycoplasma pneumonia differs little from acute bacterial pneumonia. Pneumonia is often unilateral (right-sided), affecting the lower lobes.

Complications can be caused by both the mycoplasma itself and an associated bacterial infection. Purulent sinusitis, pleurisy, and thrombophlebitis are rarely observed. Extremely rare complications include polyneuritis, monoarthritis, pericarditis, myocarditis, hepatitis, hemolytic anemia, thrombohemorrhagic syndrome, pulmonary edema, etc.

For laboratory confirmation of the diagnosis, serological tests are used (complement fixation - RSK and indirect hemagglutination - RNHA, determination of Cold agglutinins). The diagnosis is confirmed by an increase in antibody titer by 4 times or more. To confirm genitourinary mycoplasmosis, isolation of mycoplasmas is used.

Treatment

Prescribe tetracycline drugs 0.25 g 4 times a day or erythromycin 0.5 g 3 times a day for 10-14 days (in severe forms, the course of treatment can be extended to 3 weeks). Children under 8 years of age are prescribed erythromycin at a dose of 30-50 mg/kg per day for 10-14 days.

If T-mycoplasma is detected, only erythromycin is used. For pneumonia, the entire range of pathogenetic therapy is carried out (oxygen therapy, bronchodilators, exercise therapy, etc.).

For mycoplasma acute respiratory infections without lung damage, symptomatic therapy is limited.

The prognosis is favorable.

Prevention

Patients with mycoplasma pneumonia are isolated for 2-3 weeks, patients with acute respiratory infections - for 5-7 days. Preventive measures are the same as for other acute respiratory infections.