Detection of Mycoplasma pneumoniae in Pediatric Patients with Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Western Iran

Background: Mycoplasma pneumoniae strains are among the main causes of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in humans. Early detection of this microorganism is important to improve treatment efficiency. This study aimed to detect M. pneumoniae (MP)-specific immunoglobulin M (IgM) and MP DNA among pediatric patients with CAP during one week after admission. Materials & Methods: From September ۲۰۱۹ to February ۲۰۲۰, ۵۶ CAP patients aged ۵ to ۱۵ years were investigated for the presence of MP. Throat swabs for molecular detection of MP and blood samples for detection of cold agglutinins and MP-specific IgG and IgM antibodies were collected at admission. Blood and throat samples were taken again ۶ days after admission. Macrolide resistance due to mutations in the ۲۳S rRNA gene was also investigated. Findings: MP-specific IgM was found in ۱۹.۶%, IgG in ۱۶.۱%, and cold agglutinins in ۲۶.۸% of CAP patients. The combination of IgM+IgG was not found. Tachypnea and the need for intensive care were more common in IgM-positive than in IgM-negative patients. Only four patients were positive for MP DNA, of whom two patients carried macrolide-resistant isolates. One isolate had an A۲۰۶۳G mutation and the other had an A۲۰۶۴C mutation. Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, there are no data on the epidemiology of MP in ۵-۱۵-year-old patients with CAP in Kurdistan, western Iran. The possibility of false-positive or -negative reactions and co-presence with other microorganisms could not be excluded.

Keywords:

Respiratory tract infection , Mycoplasma pneumoniae , Serology , Molecular diagnostic techniques , Macrolides , Drug resistance