Mycoplasma pneumonia symptoms

Mycoplasma pneumonia in children and adults

Pneumonia is an inflammatory disease of the lungs, which is based on an infectious process affecting the interstitial tissue of this organ. The onset of the disease does not represent anything special: fever, intoxication syndrome, the appearance of cough with sputum, pain in the chest.

In a word, typical symptoms are for a respiratory group of diseases.

Although medicine today has taken a step forward, pneumonia is still considered the most severe respiratory disease that causes death in both young and old age.

Causes

The cause of the disease is reproduction in the lung tissue of the pathogen, which enters the body directly through the respiratory tract or through the bloodstream.

Provoking factors for the onset of pneumonia are hypothermia, previous illnesses, pregnancy, and advanced age. An important role is also played by the presence of chronic diseases - oncology, cardiovascular ailments, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, diabetes, etc.

Features of mycoplasmal pneumonia

Classical pneumonia is caused by pneumococcus - a bacterial pathogen from the cocci group. However, now you can hear more and more often about atypical pneumonia, which causes viruses, protozoa and other pathogens.

This form of the disease, like Mycoplasma pneumonia, occurs in 10-17% of all cases of the disease. It is caused by two types of mycoplasmas from this family: Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma urealyticum. Most often this type of inflammation occurs at a young age (up to 45 years).

Mycoplasma was discovered as early as the end of the 19th century, but until the middle of the 20th century there was no disease that could be provoked by this pathogen.

If we talk about its characteristics, mycoplasma is an intracellular pathogen that does not have its own cell wall. There are more than 20 types of mycoplasma, causing various groups of diseases.

Mycoplasma pneumonia: symptoms

There are several categories of symptoms of infection: these are pulmonary and extrapulmonary. Pulmonary refers to the absence of dyspnea, despite the hypoxia caused by spasm of interstitial tissue lung; cough, increasing gradually, with upper respiratory tract damage, as well as x-ray data. Extrapulmonary symptoms are the following: absence of pathogens in laboratory research, lack of leukocytosis, characteristic for bacterial infections.

Mycoplasma pneumonia symptoms is quite different, which makes it difficult to diagnose it. In addition, when taking analyzes in a colored smear, it is not always possible to identify the pathogen, which often confuses and leads to a false trace.

It is possible to suspend the form of the disease caused by such a pathogen as Mycoplasma pneumonia, in the event that the patient begins to suffer a paroxysmal coughing asphyxiating. The temperature rise also has its own peculiarities: its presence within 1-2 weeks with periods of significant increase and subfebrile condition can lead diagnosticians to think about atypical pneumonia.

In the event that this pathogen causes an inflammatory process, the pneumonia transition to a chronic form often occurs. Often it is possible to note also the defeat of other internal organs in the course of the disease, which is caused by the appearance of mycoplasma in all biological fluids.

Even more difficult to cope with the disease caused by a microorganism, such as mycoplasma pneumonia, in the event that the infection occurred in a hospital. In this case, the microorganism is resistant to most antibiotics, which increases the recovery period.

X-ray signs of mycoplasmal pneumonia

On the radiographic image, an infiltrate, one or more, is found in the lower lobe of the lung, while the volume of the organ remains the same. The lesion often affects both lobes of the lung. The lesion of the lung tissue can be significant, but the patient himself will feel satisfactory.

Laboratory diagnosis of the disease

The blood test shows signs of an increase in ESR, but there is no shift of the leukocyte formula to the left, and there is also no leukocytosis.

Such a pathogen as mycoplasma pneumonia, smear analysis does not reveal in the first day of the disease, allowing the colony to grow only in 10 days after sowing.

Identify the pathogen can also be using immunological methods of research: radioimmunoassay. Antibodies to mycoplasma pneumonia appear soon after the onset of the disease, in combination with an antigen, the formation of which is fixed with a labeled isotope.

Diagnosis of mycoplasmal pneumonia

Diagnosis of the disease is made on the basis of comprehensive data collection: it is the collection of patient complaints, objective data of laboratory studies, radiographic findings.

Mycoplasma pneumonia in children

Any infection in children occurs more often, for which there are certain reasons: the level of immunity in children is lower than that of adults, to the same transmission of pneumonia by airborne drops occurs more easily in places of congestion of people, which include children institutions. Kindergartens are a constant source of infection: some are just starting to get sick, but they are already carriers of disease, others after the disease have come to the garden with untreated, low immunity.

Compared with the adult incidence, mycoplasma pneumonia in children is much more common. And there is no definite seasonality for this disease. Mycoplasma and Chlamydia pneumonia (chlamydia are also intracellular parasites) are more likely to cause ailments that occur with the defeat of the nervous system and other organs, that is, with generalization infection. In addition, in conjunction with pneumonia, there are rhinitis, pharyngitis, bronchitis.

Characterized by the defeat of the patient's skin: the presence of patchy-papular rashes of red and purple. The same rash can be found on the mucous membranes of the posterior pharyngeal wall.

The general condition of the child is usually not too disturbed, and pneumonia is often not listened to auscultatory, being determined only in the picture.

Treatment of mycoplasmal pneumonia

Long enough in relation to any disease, it is customary to use complex treatment. First of all, it is worth paying attention to the fact that mycoplasma pneumonia, the treatment of which is directed at the pathogen, does not respond well to antibiotics. Antibacterials of a broad spectrum of action, usually used in the treatment of pneumonia, will be ineffective due to the intracellular life cycle of the pathogen.

With respect to mycoplasma, antibiotics of the tetracycline series should be used, as well as the use of clarithromycin, erythro- and azithromycin. To determine the specific species, sputum culture is used to sensitize antibiotics.

It should be remembered that tetracyclines are not prescribed to children due to the risk of developing side effects. Mycoplasma pneumonia in children is treated with antibiotics from the group of macrolides, which are the drug of choice.

In addition to etiological treatment, it is necessary to use fortifying agents aimed at fighting immunity with the disease. In view of the long feverish period, detoxification therapy should also be carried out: it is the consumption of a large amount of vitaminized drink.

In the event that the pneumonia often recurs, additional assignment of specific immunopreparations is necessary.

In the process of treatment the patient, as a rule, is at home, hospital treatment is shown in rare cases.

Complications

Complications after the affliction of the disease occur rarely, in the structure of the incidence of the most common lesions of the central nervous system, more often of an inflammatory nature.

Among the complications, hematologic disorders can also occur, for example, hemolytic anemia, less often coagulopathy.

In order to avoid the recurrence of mycoplasmal pneumonia, it is necessary to observe the principles of a healthy lifestyle, refrain from smoking, alcohol abuse, and also reduce the possibility of exposure to those who provoke a reduced immunity factors.

syl.ru

Mycoplasmal pneumonia

Mycoplasmal pneumonia accounts for about 10% of all cases of pneumonia in closely interacting groups.

M. pneumoniae is extremely rarely a cause of hospital pneumonia.

ICD-10 code B96.0 Mycoplasma pneumoniae [M.pneumoniae] as the cause of diseases classified in other rubrics J15.7 Pneumonia caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae J20.0 Acute bronchitis caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae

Epidemiology

Mycoplasmal pneumonia is most common among children and young people (from 5 to 35 years). There are indications of a high incidence of mycoplasmal pneumonia in children under 5 years of age and of secondary school age.

Causes of Mycoplasma Pneumonia

Mycoplasmas are a special kind of microorganisms. They do not have a cell wall. According to the morphology and cellular organization of mycoplasma, they are similar to L-forms of bacteria, approaching viruses in size.

Of the nasopharynx and genitourinary tracts of the human body, 12 species of mycoplasmas have been isolated, but three properties are pathogenic for humans: Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Mycoplasma hominis, Mycoplasma urealyticum.

M. pneumoniae affects the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract, and M. hominis and M.urealyticum - the genitourinary system (cause the development of urethritis, cervicitis, vaginitis).

Symptoms of Mycoplasma Pneumonia

Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a frequent agent of respiratory tract infections. In 1930 M. pneumoniae was first isolated in the study of atypical pneumonia, and in 1962 is characterized and classified as a separate species of bacteria.

The disease is transmitted by airborne droplets.

According to V. AND. Pokrovsky (1995), all clinical manifestations of mycoplasmal pneumonia are grouped as follows.

1. Respiratory
   • upper respiratory tract (pharyngitis, tracheitis, bronchitis);
   • pulmonary (pneumonia, pleural effusion, abscess formation).
2. Nonspiratory
   • hematological (hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenic purpura);
   • gastrointestinal (gastroenteritis, hepatitis, pancreatitis);
   • musculo-skeletal (myalgia, arthralgia, polyarthritis);
   • cardiovascular (myocarditis, pericarditis);
   • dermatological (polymorphic erythema, other rashes);
   • neurological (meningitis, meningoencephalitis, peripheral and craniocerebral neuritis, cerebellar ataxia);
   • generalized infections (polylymphadenopathy, septicopyemia).

Mycoplasma infection has an incubation period, which on average is 3 weeks. The development of pneumonia is preceded by a clinic of upper respiratory tract infection. The onset of the disease is gradual. Patients are disturbed by moderate general weakness, headache, runny nose, dry and sore throat, cough (at first dry, then with the Department of viscous mucous sputum). Characteristic features of coughing are its duration and paroxysmal character. During an attack of cough, its intensity is quite pronounced. Constantly observed hyperemia of the posterior pharyngeal wall, soft palate, tongue. With the development of bronchitis, hard breathing and dry wheezes are heard. With an easy flow of mycoplasma ARI, catarrhal rhinitis and pharyngitis are observed. In the medium-heavy course there is a combined defeat of the upper and lower respiratory tracts in the form of rhinobrochitis, pharyngobronchitis, and rhinopharyngobrachig. The body temperature in patients is usually subfebrile.

These symptoms of mycoplasmal infection increase by 5-7 days, body temperature rises to 39-40 ° C and can be kept on these figures for 5-7 days, in the future it decreases to subfebrile and lasts for 7-12 days, sometimes even longer. A characteristic feature of mycoplasmal pneumonia is a prolonged and severe cough with the separation of a small amount of viscous and mucous sputum. Cough lasts not less than 10-15 days. The overwhelming majority of patients also have chest pain, which increases with breathing.

The physical signs of pneumonia appear usually on the 4th-6th day of the illness and are characterized by focal attenuation vesicular breathing, crepitation, small bubbling rales, shortening of percussion sound, but it is infrequent attribute. Approximately 20% of patients with physical signs of pneumonia are not detected, lung damage is diagnosed only with X-ray examination.

In some patients, fibrinous or mild exudative pleurisy can develop.

Where does it hurt?

Chest pain

What's bothering you?

Coughing in the lungs Shortness of breath

Diagnosis of mycoplasmal pneumonia

X-ray mycoplasmal pneumonia can have the following manifestations:

• intensification and thickening of the pulmonary pattern, mainly interstitial changes in 50% of cases;
• segmental and focal infiltration of pulmonary tissue (in 30% of patients); infiltrate is localized mainly in the lower pulmonary fields, less often in the upper and middle lobes of the right lung, in the basal segments. Infiltrates are inhomogeneous and inhomogeneous, without clear boundaries; in 10-40% are two-sided;
• extensive lobar infiltration (a rare option).

Laboratory diagnosis of mycoplasma pneumonia

The general analysis of peripheral blood is characterized mainly by a normal number of leukocytes (not more than 8 x 109 / L), in 10-15% of cases - leukopenia or leukocytosis; a natural increase in the number of lymphocytes; no shift of the leukocyte formula to the left; increase ESR.

It should be noted that mycoplasmal pneumonia is often mixed (mycoplasmal-bacterial) due to the attachment of bacterial microflora (mainly pneumococcus). This is usually a later pneumonia. Primary mycoplasmal pneumonia develops in the first days of the disease. In general, the course of mycoplasmal pneumonia is usually not heavy, but prolonged. However, in some cases, a heavy current is possible; it is due to the severity of the pneumonia itself or the attachment of non-respiratory manifestations of mycoplasmal infection.

Diagnostic criteria of mycoplasmal pneumonia

When stating the diagnosis of mycoplasmal pneumonia, the following main points should be considered.

• Gradual onset with a short prodromal period, acute pharyngitis, rhinitis, tracheitis, intense prolonged cough with a viscous, hardly detachable mucous sputum.
• Low severity of physical signs of pneumonia.
• The presence of extrapulmonary (extra-respiratory) manifestations: hemolytic anemia, myocarditis, pericarditis, hepatitis, skin rashes, poly-lymphadenopathy.
• Positive results of serological diagnosis. To confirm the diagnosis of mycoplasmal pneumonia, antibodies to mycoplasma in the blood are determined by the complement fixation reaction, paired sera are examined at intervals of 15 days. Diagnostically significant is a 4-fold increase in antibody titer (not lower than: 4).

Cultural diagnostics (sputum culture) with mycoplasmal pneumonia is practically not applied due to the need to use highly selective media and a low informative method.

• Detection of mycoplasma antigens in sputum using monoclonal antibodies using immunofluorescence or immunoassay. In recent years, the determination of mycoplasma (molecules of its DNA) in sputum is carried out using the polymerase chain reaction method. At usual bacterioscopy of a smear of a sputum of a mycoplasma is not revealed.

What it is necessary to survey?

Lungs

How to inspect?

X-ray of the lungs Examination of the respiratory (lung) organs Computed tomography of the chest Study of bronchi and trachea

What tests are needed?

General blood analysis Sputum analysis Respiratory mycoplasmosis: Mycoplasma pneumoniae antigen detection by direct immunofluorescence method

Who to contact?

Pulmonologist Infectionist

Treatment of mycoplasmal pneumonia

Mycoplasma is highly sensitive to erythromycin and new macrolides (azithromycin, clarithromycin, etc.), and new macrolides are more effective than erythromycin and are considered drugs of the 1st series. Tetracyclines are also effective in mycoplasmal pneumonia. To β-lactam antibiotics (penicillins, cephalosporins) mycoplasma is stable.

In addition to treatment

Physiotherapy for pneumonia What to do with pneumonia? Antibiotics for pneumonia Than to treat? Tavanik

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How to deal with the pathogen of pneumonia with mycoplasma?

With pneumonia, mycoplasma is one of the causative agents of this disease. However, it is among the atypical (as pneumonia is most commonly caused by pulmonary pneumonia). A rare frequency of occurrence accounts for the majority of cases of its erroneous diagnosis and an improperly drawn up treatment plan. What kind of causative agent is it and what is characteristic of it?

The essence of mycoplasma

Mycoplasmas are the causative agents of chronic infectious diseases of the respiratory system, as well as of the genitourinary tract.They are bacteria that do not have a cell wall. From the external environment they are separated only by a thin cytoplasmic membrane. These bacteria are characterized by a high degree of alteration: they can change the characteristics of their structure under the influence of certain external factors.

For the normal course of metabolic processes, this microorganism requires the entry of oxygen, that is, it is a strict aerobic (dies in vacuum). In nature, there is a huge number of subspecies of these bacteria, but for a person a certain danger represent two subtypes: mycoplasma pneumonia and mycoplasma genitalium (affect respiratory and reproductive systems respectively). Inflammation of the lung tissue causes mycoplasma pneumonia. What is the inflammatory process caused by this bacterium?

Mycoplasma pneumonia clinic

Pneumonia is an acute inflammation of the lung tissue. How will this disease manifest itself caused by mycoplasma? Mycoplasma pneumonia develops in 4% of cases. Its causative agent is highly contagious, that is, there is a high risk of infection after contact with a sick person. Mycoplasma is characterized by the development of pneumonia in close collectives, in people who have been in contact with each other for a long time. Because of this, the frequency of its occurrence among other types of inflammation of the lung tissue can increase to 30-32%.

The bacterium affects mostly young people (usually up to 28-30 years) and children. Very rarely develops the disease caused by this pathogen, in persons of working age and old people. The development of the disease can be preceded by a prolonged respiratory infection (pharyngitis, tracheobronchitis). Later it passes into the inflammatory process and has a protracted character, although it does not take too much. Getting into the lungs, mycoplasma causes the development of an inflammatory focus or affects one or more pulmonary segments.

The disease can begin with a rise in temperature to 37-38 ° C, accompanied by symptoms of an infectious intoxication (headache, weakness, nausea, pain in the muscles and joints) and cough with the withdrawal of viscous phlegm. In some cases, there is no rise in temperature (for example, in weakened persons or old people), but for a long time there are symptoms of intoxication and a painful, debilitating cough.

Diagnosis of mycoplasmal pneumonia

Even in spite of the fact that modern medicine has high-precision and informative methods for diagnosing organ diseases breathing, quite often atypical forms of pneumonia are missed or misdiagnosed, which leads to an inappropriate appointment antibiotics. First of all, you should carefully collect anamnesis and identify the causes of the disease. It is necessary to find out from the patient how long his illness began, whether it was preceded by the development of any cold, than he was treated and whether this had any effect.

From the data of an objective examination of the patient, the most important indicators will be listening to wheezing at auscultation of certain pulmonary segments, dullness of percussion sound above the site of the projection of the zone inflammation. Mycoplasma pneumonia is most effectively detected by laboratory tests. All patients, coming to the polyclinic or getting into the hospital, must pass an overall analysis of blood and urine.

These analyzes are not informative in the diagnosis of the pathogen, but with their help the presence of a pathological process in the body is established. With the development of pneumonia in the blood, there is an increase in the number of leukocytes with a predominance of neutrophils, an increase in ESR. These indicators indicate that there is a bacterial infection in the body.

The analysis of urine with mycoplasmal pneumonia can be normal (changes only in the presence of concomitant pathology). The main method of typing the pathogen is a serological study. The venous blood of the patient is taken for analysis, which is examined for the presence of specific molecules of the immune system - immunoglobulins. These substances are responsible for the formation of immunity to the transferred diseases, for the implementation of the immune response in direct infection.

In the early stages of the disease, it is possible to identify immunoglobulins of class M (IgM) responsible for the prevention spread of infection and its suppression at the time of infection (that is, they appear in the acute phase of development infectious process). Later - immunoglobulins G (igg) are an indicator of the transferred disease, but the role in the development immune reaction they will play only if the disease caused a strain of mycoplasma, already falling early in the organism.

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X-ray examination is of little informative in the early stages, since for mycoplasmal pneumonia there may be characterized dissociation of the radiographic pattern and clinical manifestations (that is, the time difference in appearance). Sputum culture on nutrient media does not provide enough information. It is meaningless to conduct and study a smear under a microscope, since mycoplasmas are predominantly intracellular parasites.

How to treat mycoplasmal pneumonia?

Given the polymorphism of the microorganism, the peculiarities of its structure, it is necessary to competently and responsibly approach the selection of antibacterial therapy.

The absence of a cell wall in mycoplasma is not a very favorable treatment factor, since most antibacterial funds are directed precisely at the destruction of the receptors of this formation, the transformation of its proteins and the effect on internal organelles microbe. In this regard, for the treatment of mycoplasmal pneumonia, drugs from the group of penicillins, cephalosporins (since these antibiotics act on the cell wall) can not be used.

Another factor that is unfavorable for treatment is that mycoplasma is an intracellular parasite, due to which not all drugs can have a direct effect on it.

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The most effective first-line drugs that have the necessary effect are macrolides. This group of antibiotics affects the synthesizing systems of the bacterial cell, that is, prevents the formation of microbial proteins. Due to this, the so-called cytostatic effect is produced (the development and reproduction of the microbe are disrupted). In addition, these drugs have the ability to penetrate into the affected cells, accumulate in them and through ribosomal synthesis penetrate into the cells of bacteria.

Prophylaxis of mycoplasmal pneumonia

In order to prevent the development of this disease, you must adhere to a certain number of rules. This is the following:

1. Immunization and hardening of the body. By stimulating the immune system, the protective properties of the body are enhanced, which prevents the penetration of microorganisms into it and their development.
2. Avoidance of hypothermia. This factor is the main factor due to some weakening of the protective barriers.
3. Timely treatment of emerging symptoms of the disease and consultation of the therapist and pulmonologist.

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Knowing the pathogenesis of the development of the disease, the rules for its prevention, you can easily avoid the development of pneumonia or take timely action.

respiratoria.ru

Mycoplasma pneumonia

The struggle with acute respiratory infections had to be experienced by everyone. In most cases, the cause of the disease is bacteria and viruses. One of the most common is mycoplasma pneumonia. This bacterium can cause not only pneumonia, but also a number of other quite unpleasant diseases.

Symptoms of Mycoplasma Infection with Pneumonia

Mycoplasma is a microorganism that does not have its own cell membrane, so it is much easier for it to penetrate the body. From an infected person to a healthy mycoplasma, like most other pathogens of a bacterial respiratory infection, it is transmitted by airborne droplets. Children and adolescents are prone to infection more than others, although adults also become victims of the disease from time to time. Mycoplasma pneumonia is transmitted with close contact, and therefore very often almost all members of the family are sent to the hospital at the same time.

The disease caused by mycoplasma is quite unpleasant and secretive. At the initial stages of development, its symptoms strongly resemble ordinary ARVI. And only in a few days are the true signs of mycoplasmal pneumonia:

1. The temperature rises sharply and can reach forty degrees.
2. Most likely, the tests will show the presence of mycoplasma pneumonia in the body with a long dry cough, which causes painful sensations in the chest. Usually, pain is observed in the side of an infection-damaged lung.
3. Some changes in the lungs are clearly visible on X-rays.

Analyzes and a roentgen of lungs - the basic ways of definition of a mycoplasmal pneumonia. Therefore, with the manifestation of the above symptoms, you need to be prepared for the fact that you will have to get a little irradiated and be sure to donate blood.

Treatment of mycoplasmal pneumonia

After specialists diagnose mycoplasmal pneumonia, it is possible to forget about treatment with folk and any loyal methods. More precisely, their use is allowed, but only in parallel with the main treatment course. The main treatment for pneumonia caused by mycoplasma, is the course of antibiotics.

Antibiotics are shown to adults and children. The most suitable medicines will help to find a specialist. Very often during the treatment course, special vitamin complexes and bifidobacteria that support immunity and neutralize the negative effect of potent antibiotics are also taken.

WomanAdvice.ru

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