Ruben C A de Groot, Bianca M M Streng, Louis J Bont, Patrick M Meyer Sauteur, Annemarie M C van Rossum
{"title":"Resurgence of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections in children: emerging challenges and opportunities.","authors":"Ruben C A de Groot, Bianca M M Streng, Louis J Bont, Patrick M Meyer Sauteur, Annemarie M C van Rossum","doi":"10.1097/QCO.0000000000001126","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose of review: </strong>To summarize recent advances in Mycoplasma pneumoniae epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnostics, and treatment, since the 2023-2024 global resurgence of M. pneumoniae following the COVID-19 pandemic has provided new insights.</p><p><strong>Recent findings: </strong>The remarkably prolonged reduction of M. pneumoniae infections during COVID-19-related nonpharmaceutical interventions has shed new light on M. pneumoniae transmission, both on an individual and a global level. M. pneumoniae epidemiology showed striking differences in comparison with other respiratory pathogens, including RSV and pneumococcus. We discuss the possible mechanisms behind the delayed resurgence, including waning immunity and the persistence of M. pneumoniae reservoirs. There have been contrasting reports on disease severity with notable differences in severity between children and adults, with young adults showing marked vulnerability. The inability of M. pneumoniae diagnostic tests to differentiate between infection and carriage poses a continuing challenge: in daily clinical practice as well as in the interpretation of study results. Furthermore, several studies report safety and utility for tetracyclines and fluoroquinolones as treatment alternatives to macrolide antibiotics.</p><p><strong>Summary: </strong>The global resurgence of M. pneumoniae following COVID-19 pandemic restrictions has provided a unique opportunity to study its epidemiology and pathophysiology, which has advanced our understanding of M. pneumoniae infections in children.</p>","PeriodicalId":10880,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases","volume":" ","pages":"468-476"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0000,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12404625/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1097/QCO.0000000000001126","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2025/8/6 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"INFECTIOUS DISEASES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Purpose of review: To summarize recent advances in Mycoplasma pneumoniae epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnostics, and treatment, since the 2023-2024 global resurgence of M. pneumoniae following the COVID-19 pandemic has provided new insights.
Recent findings: The remarkably prolonged reduction of M. pneumoniae infections during COVID-19-related nonpharmaceutical interventions has shed new light on M. pneumoniae transmission, both on an individual and a global level. M. pneumoniae epidemiology showed striking differences in comparison with other respiratory pathogens, including RSV and pneumococcus. We discuss the possible mechanisms behind the delayed resurgence, including waning immunity and the persistence of M. pneumoniae reservoirs. There have been contrasting reports on disease severity with notable differences in severity between children and adults, with young adults showing marked vulnerability. The inability of M. pneumoniae diagnostic tests to differentiate between infection and carriage poses a continuing challenge: in daily clinical practice as well as in the interpretation of study results. Furthermore, several studies report safety and utility for tetracyclines and fluoroquinolones as treatment alternatives to macrolide antibiotics.
Summary: The global resurgence of M. pneumoniae following COVID-19 pandemic restrictions has provided a unique opportunity to study its epidemiology and pathophysiology, which has advanced our understanding of M. pneumoniae infections in children.
期刊介绍:
This reader-friendly, bimonthly resource provides a powerful, broad-based perspective on the most important advances from throughout the world literature. Featuring renowned guest editors and focusing exclusively on two topics, every issue of Current Opinion in Infectious Disease delivers unvarnished, expert assessments of developments from the previous year. Insightful editorials and on-the-mark invited reviews cover key subjects such as HIV infection and AIDS; skin and soft tissue infections; respiratory infections; paediatric and neonatal infections; gastrointestinal infections; tropical and travel-associated diseases; and antimicrobial agents.