Latest Surveillance Data on Mycoplasma pneumoniae Infections in Children, Suggesting a New Epidemic Occurring in Beijing

Abstract

M ycoplasma pneumoniae is a leading pathogen of respiratory infection, especially community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), in children and adults worldwide (1). M. pneumoniae can also cause extrapulmonary manifestations (especially cardiovascular, hematologic, and nervous system, as well as skin) and even death. M. pneumoniae can transmit from person to person through aerosolization. Epidemics occur at intervals of 3 to 7 years and may last up to 2 years each time, and M. pneumoniae is responsible for up to 25% of CAP (2, 3). Patients can carry M. pneumoniae from a few days to a few months. M. pneumoniae infection can result in great economic loss and social impact in families, schools, and militaries-even a whole society. Increasing scientists around the world have joined in the research on M. pneumoniae in recent years. From 1977 to the present (about 38 years), we have been continuously monitoring M. pneumoniae infections in children in Beijing, China. A total of seven epidemics were documented in seven different periods of time in

Changes in Molecular Characteristics of Mycoplasma pneumoniae in Clinical Specimens from Children in Beijing between 2003 and 2015

“…pneumoniae -positive specimens, 95.4% (458/480) were P1 type 1, 3.1% (15/480) were P1 type 2c specimens, and 1.5% (7/480) were P1 type 2 specimens (Table 1, Fig 1A). As 2007 and 2012 were epidemic years in China [3], the specimens were also grouped into three time periods. In the 5-year period from January 2003 until December 2007, types 2 and 2c accounted for 17.4% (4/23) of specimens, while between 2008 and 2013, after the epidemic of 2007, the prevalence of type 2 and 2c specimens significantly decreased to only 1.51% (5/331) (p = 0.001).…”

“…, and after the last epidemic around 2012, there were significant increases in the number of M . pneumoniae -associated pneumonia cases reported in 2015 in China, Japan, England, and Wales [3,4,5]. , there may be another new epidemic started in 2015.…”

Molecular and clinical characteristics of severe Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia in children

“…In addition to infections of the respiratory system, Mp contributes to a broad array of extrapulmonary diseases, some of which can be life‐threatening. Beginning in mid‐2015, we detected an epidemic outbreak of Mp infection in Beijing, China, which was subsequently reported in Japan and England . In general, macrolides are used as first‐line antibiotics for the treatment of Mp infections.…”

Serum Tumor Necrosis Factor-αand Interferon-γLevels in PediatricMycoplasma pneumoniaePneumonia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) is one of the most prevalent etiological agents of community-acquired pneumonia in children [ 1 , 2 ]. Infection by MP is traditionally thought to be self-limiting [ 3 ], but under some circumstances, it can result in severe life-threatening diseases such as acute respiratory distress syndrome, necrotizing pneumonitis, and fulminant pneumonia.…”