MYCOPLASMA INFECTIONS

Course overview

WITH OVER 100 DIFFERENT SPECIES, THE GENUS MYCOPLASMA IS A UNIQUE BACTERIUM THAT LACKS A CELL WALL AND CAUSES A WIDE RANGE OF SYMPTOMS AND INFECTIONS. THE SUBSPECIES MYCOPLASMA PNEUMONIAE IS THE MOST WIDELY STUDIED AND ALTHOUGH IT IS TYPICALLY ASSOCIATED WITH "ATYPICAL PNEUMONIA" IT CAN ALSO LEAD TO INFECTIONS OF OTHER ANATOMICAL SITES SUCH AS SKIN, CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM, BLOOD, HEART, AND JOINTS. MYCOPLASMA GENITALIUM, ANOTHER MYCOPLASMA SPECIES IS RAISING INCREASING CONCERN AS A CAUSE OF SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS. UREAPLASMA SPECIES HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A CAUSE OF UROLOGIC, GYNECOLOGIC AND OBSTETRIC MORBIDITY WITH ASSOCIATED COMPLICATIONS IN MEN, WOMEN, AND NEONATES. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE PATHOPHYSIOLOGY, EVALUATION, AND MANAGEMENT OF COMMON MYCOPLASMA INFECTIONS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN CARING FOR AFFECTED PATIENTS.