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Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a type of bacteria that is naturally occurring and can be transmitted from person to person. This bacterial infection causes respiratory symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, pneumonia, bronchitis, and can also cause various brain and heart complications. severe enough to cause death
Thai people may have heard of this infection a few years ago. From the news of being sick with pneumonia influenza among children And the outbreak in the military camp in Uttaradit province more than 10 years ago.
Get to know Mycoplasma that cause cold-like diseases, pneumonia
Explanation from Dr. Thanet Kaensan, Department of Family Medicine Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital Who gives knowledge in the program Meet Dr. Rama, stating that mycoplasma is a bacteria that lives in nature. but can be transmitted from person to person
This type of infection causes respiratory disease. whether it is the upper respiratory tract, such as a cold, cough, runny nose, sore throat, headache, low fever, and the lower part is pulmonary symptoms “In some people, especially children, if they are infected, May cause conditions to go down to the lungs causing pneumonia, pneumonia, pneumonia.”
Respiratory infection like a cold Breathe in the droplets of the virus through coughing and sneezing. It can be infected anywhere. because it is an infection from person to person Especially in narrow areas, closed places, crowded places.
Dr. Thanet said that the symptoms of infection would be the symptoms of a common cold. Whether it’s coughing, sneezing, runny nose, fever, headache, some children can’t recover. Because it’s because Has pneumonia infection. resulting in hospitalization for several days
The test for infection is done by collecting a sample from the throat. to test whether there is DNA of the infection or not That is to find the infection. Blood work can also be done. but not as accurate and methods of immunosuppression after recovery to confirm the diagnosis
“The verification method is quite difficult. Most will be treated first. Then diagnose whether it is an infection from this type of bacteria or not.”
Fatalities of violence have been reported, but they are rare, mainly because in pediatric patients If severe, there will be a high fever. pneumonia, rapid breathing due to lung infection and a lot of phlegm
There was an epidemic among conscripted soldiers in Uttaradit province in 2012.
In June 2012, Phichai Dap Hak Hospital, Uttaradit Province posted a sign “closed quarantine area, opened on June 5th” at the front door of the hospital. Due to the 1st conscription under the 7th Cavalry Battalion (Uttaradit Province), the 2nd Cavalry Regiment (Phetchabun Province), the 3rd Army Area (Phitsanulok Province), symptoms of tachycardia, pneumonia, similar to the common cold. but more severe symptoms and an epidemic among conscripted soldiers
Dr. Pornthep Siriwanarangsan The Director-General of the Department of Disease Control at that time disclosed the results of the examination together with the Royal Thai Army Medical Department. Found that the infection It is a semi-bacterial, semi-viral infection called mycoplasma, which causes the common cold and pneumonia. which the symptoms are more severe than the common cold
Dr. Pornthep said that from the investigation of the disease among 140 soldiers and trainers, it was found that there were 96 patients with flu symptoms, all of whom were conscripts. Later, there was one conscripted soldier who was believed to have been infected from the community or home. by this type of infection Classified as a group that causes common pneumonia not new infection
Of these, 15 cases were severe. Must be admitted to Phichai Dap Hak Camp Hospital Divided into 10 patients with pneumonia and 5 with pneumonia, and the rest were flu, runny nose, and cough. No deaths were reported.
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found complications in other organs In Thailand, there have been cases of child patients suffering from cardiac shock.
medical journal “Chulalongkorn Medical Journal” used to publish patient reports from the Department of Pediatrics. Faculty of Medicine Chulalongkorn University that Cardiac shock was reported in one pediatric patient. from mycoplasma pneumonia infection
A report from Dr. Pairoj Chotiwitthayatarakorn and his team published in 1988 stated that in addition to respiratory symptoms, believe mycoplasma It also causes complications such as acute inflammatory skin diseases (erythema multiforme), meningitis. peripheral neuropathy Hemolytic anemia, hepatitis, myocarditis Heart shock is very rare.
The patient was a 14-year-old Thai boy admitted to the Department of Pediatrics, Chulalongkorn University Hospital with fever, cough and shortness of breath on the day of hospital admission. He had a history of dry coughing, vomiting, and pain in both calves for 4 days before coming to the hospital. The former patient was always a healthy child. and no history of heart disease
The report also states that This patient was admitted to the hospital with cardiogenic shock and was diagnosed with cardiogenic shock. Mitral valve leakage (mitral insufficiency) is a precursor symptom following antibody testing against various viral pathogens. High levels of microplasma titers were found and increased more than 4-fold by venipuncture after 2 weeks, thus enabling the diagnosis of mycoplasma infection. that match other people’s reports
The doctor also diagnosed Mitral valve leak It is likely to be caused by abnormal function of the muscles that attach the heart valves (papillary muscle dysfunction) from myocarditis. which causes heart shock But the pathological origin of carditis is unclear. It is believed to be caused by mycoplasma bacteria directly destroying the heart muscle or it may be caused by immunotherapy.
Is mycoplasma infection life-threatening?
This academic paper from 1988 identified inflammatory heart conditions. It is a major complication in patients with mycoplasma infection. It can be found in 2.4-8.5% of patients. Most patients are over 20 years old, but it has been reported in children under 1 year of age.
Approximately 70% of these patients develop respiratory tract infection 11 days before, and 30% of patients develop cardiogenic symptoms within a week. Some people have muscle pain before.
In addition, the prognosis of patients was found to be quite good and usually recovered. But some still have chronic heart failure. or myocardial infarction and in some cases the symptoms are severe to death but found in a minority