Mycoplasma

Classification: 14 Mycoplasma species are known to occur in humans, including 1) Mycoplasma orale 2) Mycoplasma salivarium 3) Mycoplasma pneumonia 4) Mycoplasma hominis 5) Mycoplasma genitalium 6) Mycoplasma fermentans 7) Mycoplasma penetrans Epidemiology: - smallest free-living micro-organism, 100-300 nm in diameter. - Mycoplasmas lack a cell wall explaining their resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics - Mycoplasma colonize mucosal surfaces Pathology: - Mycoplasma causes chronic inflammatory infections of the respiratory tract, urogenital tract & joints in many animal species, including humans Laboratory: - Mycoplasma serology - Mycoplasma serotype - Mycoplasma antigen - Mycoplasma DNA - Mycoplasma+Ureaplasma urealyticum DNA - Mycoplasma rRNA - Mycoplasma identified in specimen - Mycoplasma identified by culture - Mycoplasma&Ureaplasma identified by culture

Specific

Mycoplasma arginini Mycoplasma fermentans Mycoplasma gallisepticum Mycoplasma genitalium Mycoplasma hominis Mycoplasma meleagridis Mycoplasma penetrans Mycoplasma pneumoniae Mycoplasma synoviae

Properties

KINGDOM: monera DIVISION: SCHIZOMYCETES

References

Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 14th ed. Fauci et al (eds), McGraw-Hill Inc. NY, 1998, pg 1052-55