Pediatr Infect Vaccine.  2023 Dec;30(3):121-128. 10.14776/piv.2023.30.e24.

A Study on the Distribution of Mycoplasma pneumoniae Infectious Disease in Children from 2016 to 2018 According to Age

• Choi J
• Kim KH

• KMID: 2551461
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.14776/piv.2023.30.e24

Abstract

Purpose
This study aimed to investigate the recent age distribution of Mycoplasma pneumoniae in patients with respiratory infections and the differences in diagnostic usefulness according to the methods used in these patients.
Methods
We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients aged ≤18 years with respiratory infectious diseases who underwent polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or a specific immunoglobulin M (IgM) test between July 2016 and February 2019. The diagnosis of M.pneumoniae infection was confirmed by a positive result in the PCR or IgM test.
Results
Of the 2,721 patients tested for M.pneumoniae, 2,197 underwent IgM, and 1,144 underwent PCR, with positivity rates of 17% and 20%, respectively. Among the 620 patients tested for both IgM and PCR tests simultaneously, 35% had M.pneumoniae infection, with 14% under 1 year old and 13% under 1–2 years old. The positive rate increased with age in both tests. Higher positive rates were observed in the IgM test before 3 years of age and in the PCR test after 3 years of age. The agreement rate between the two tests was 77.9% (Cohen’s kappa 0.402).
Conclusions
As age increased, the rates of M.pneumoniae infection also increased. In patients under 2 years of age, 4¬–14% of infections were confirmed depending on the method used. The moderate agreement between the PCR and IgM tests suggests that the simultaneous use of PCR and the IgM test for the early diagnosis should be approached with caution.

Keyword

Mycoplasma pneumoniae; Child; Age distribution; Clinical laboratory testing