Role of Chlamydia pneumoniae and Mycoplasma pneumoniae as causative agents of community-acquired pneumonia in hospitalised children and adolescents

Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2003 Dec;22(12):742-5. doi: 10.1007/s10096-003-1037-9. Epub 2003 Nov 11.

Abstract

The aim of the study presented here was to determine the prevalence of Chlamydia pneumoniae versus Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections in paediatric patients with community-acquired pneumonia. A total of 50 patients (mean age, 5.5 years; median, 3.9 years) with community-acquired pneumonia were enrolled. Four patients were found to have Chlamydia pneumoniae infection (1 culture positive, 1 PCR positive and 2 serology positive) and 16 patients had Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection (2 PCR positive, 4 PCR and serology positive, 10 serology positive), including three patients with coinfection. The rates of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection were 22%, 35% and 40% in children aged 1-3, >3-7 and >7 years, respectively. Acute Chlamydia pneumoniae infection was substantially less common than Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in our study cohort.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Age Distribution
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Chlamydophila Infections / diagnosis*
  • Chlamydophila Infections / epidemiology
  • Chlamydophila pneumoniae / isolation & purification*
  • Cohort Studies
  • Community-Acquired Infections / epidemiology
  • Community-Acquired Infections / microbiology*
  • Female
  • Hospitalization / statistics & numerical data
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mycoplasma pneumoniae / isolation & purification*
  • Pneumonia, Bacterial / diagnosis
  • Pneumonia, Bacterial / epidemiology
  • Pneumonia, Mycoplasma / diagnosis*
  • Pneumonia, Mycoplasma / epidemiology
  • Prevalence
  • Probability
  • Prognosis
  • Risk Assessment
  • Sex Distribution
  • Switzerland / epidemiology