Pathophysiology
Mycoplasma pneumoniae is spread through respiratory droplet transmission. Once attached to the mucosa of a host organism, M. pneumoniae extracts nutrients, grows and reproduces by binary fission. Attachment sites include the upper and lower respiratory tract, causing pharyngitis, bronchitis, and pneumonia. The infection caused by this bacterium is called atypical pneumonia because of its protracted course and lack of sputum production and wealth of extra-pulmonary symptoms. Chronic mycoplasma infections have been implicated in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis and other rheumatological diseases.
Mycoplasma atypical pneumonia can be complicated by Stevens–Johnson syndrome, hemolytic anemia, encephalitis, or Guillain-Barré syndrome.
Read more about this topic: Mycoplasma Pneumonia