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Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydia pneumoniae infections in children with pneumonia

¹ Paediatric Dept I, ² Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Istituto di Ricerca e di Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Maggiore Hospital and ³ Institute of Radiology, San Paolo Hospital, University of Milan, Milan, Italy

CORRESPONDENCE: N. Principi, Paediatric Department I, University of Milan, via Commenda 9, 20122, Milan, Italy. Fax: 39-02-55195341

Keywords: children, Chlamydia pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, pneumonia

Received: March 20, 2000
Accepted July 25, 2000

This work was supported in part by Abbott SpA, Italy.

The most common clinical signs, host responses and radiographic patterns were studied in 203 Italian children hospitalized for community-acquired pneumonia in order to clarify the role of clinical and radiological characteristics in the diagnosis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae and/or Chlamydia pneumoniae infections.

Antibody measurements in paired sera and polymerase chain reaction on nasopharyngeal aspirates were used to establish the diagnoses of acute M. pneumoniae and C. pneumoniae infection, and the aetiologic data were correlated with the clinical, laboratory and radiographic data obtained on admission.

No significant association was observed between evidence of M. pneumoniae and/or C. pneumoniae infection and periods of episode during the year, mean age of the study subjects, individual symptoms, physical findings or laboratory test results. Furthermore, no significant correlation was observed in relation to the radiological findings and M. pneumoniae and/or C. pneumoniae infection.

This study shows that neither clinical findings nor laboratory parameters distinguished Mycoplasma pneumoniae and/or Chlamydia pneumoniae infection in children with pneumonia. Radiological findings also have a limited capacity to differentiate aetiologic agents. The priorities for future research include the development of rapid, easily accessible and cost-effective diagnostic tests useful for each episode of pneumonia in children.