Serological patterns of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in man. V. Serodiagnostic results in selected human groups
Kałuzewski, S.
Medycyna Doswiadczalna i Mikrobiologia 30(3): 157-171
1978
ISSN/ISBN: 0025-8601 PMID: 713635 Document Number: 129942
CF tests with cellular and glycolipid antigens of M. pneumoniae were performed to determine the antibody level in blood samples collected during 1970-1976 from 1579 persons with acute respiratory infections, 206 patients with nonbacterial meningitis, encephalitis or meningoencephalitis diagnosed, and 2300 healthy subjects (mainly blood donors). At least a 4-fold increase in antibody titer in the acute phase of the disease, or antibody titers 1:60 or higher were accepted as diagnostically significant for Mycoplasma infection. The results positive for M. pneumoniae were obtained in 28.2% of patients with pneumonia, 10.3% of bronchitis cases, 7.7% of patients with upper respiratory infection and 11.3% of persons with nonbacterial inflammatory states of the CNS. Mycoplasmal pneumonia was diagnosed in 57.4% of children 10-16, 46.6% of children 7-9 and 33.3% in the 3-6 age group. During 1970-1976 2 epidemic peaks of M. pneumoniae infection were observed in the winter seasons of 1970/1971 and 1975/1976. Cases diagnosed in these 2 epidemic periods constituted 97.2% of total symptomatic cases detected in the material under study. The epidemic wave of symptomatic mycoplasmal respiratory infection was accompanied by a twice higher frequency of detection of the antibodies against M. pneumoniae cellular antigen in clinically healthy adults and children.