Clinical and laboratory characteristics of mycoplasma infection in children during the period 2021–2024

Objective: to characterize the clinical, laboratory and epidemiological features of respiratory mycoplasmosis in children during the period 2021–2024.

Materials and methods: A single-center retrospective study was conducted at the Federal State Budgetary Institution Federal Research and Clinical Center for Infectious Diseases of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency of Russia during the period 2021-2024, including 236 pediatric patients with laboratory-confirmed infection caused by M. pneumoniae. Statistical data processing was performed using statistical analysis methods in Statistica 7.0 and Microsoft Excel. Differences were considered statistically significant at p<0.05.

Results: The hospitalization rate was highest in 2024 (53.0%). The peak incidence was recorded in the autumn (44.1%). School-age children predominated in the age structure (60.6%). Patients were admitted to hospital late in the course of the disease – Me 8 days (IQR 5-13 days), indicating a subacute course of the infection. Contact with an acute respiratory infection was noted in a quarter of cases (25%). The clinical picture was dominated by fever (Me 38.9°C (IQR 38.0-39.5°C) lasting 6 days (IQR 2-9 days), cough developed in 91.9% of cases, predominantly frequent (51.3%), dry and/ or unproductive (62.3%) lasting 15 days (IQR 11-21 days). The leading cause of hospitalization was lower respiratory tract infection (83.9%). In 2024, the most common diagnosis was “Community-Acquired Pneumonia” (56.0%), which is significantly more common than in other years (p<0.001). Clinical blood tests revealed no significant inflammatory changes in most cases, and C-reactive protein levels remained within normal limits in 46.2%. ELISA was used more frequently (91.5%) than PCR (61.9%) to determine the etiology of the disease, due to the late stages of hospitalization. Macrolides were predominantly used as the etiological therapy, with doxycycline prescribed as monotherapy in 1.3% of cases.

Conclusion: Clinical, epidemiological, and laboratory features of respiratory mycoplasmosis in children have been identified; however, further research is required to optimize approaches to diagnosis and treatment.

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