Mycoplasma Flashcards
What is the metabolism of M.pneumoniae?
- Requires CHOLESTEROL for membrane formation.
2. Facultative anaerobe.
What is the morphology of Mycoplasma pneumoniae?
- No cell wall
- Pleomorphic
- Smallest bacterium capable of groin and reproducing outside a living cell (smaller than some viruses).
- Motile (glides)
What is the virulence of M.pneumoniae?
Protein P1 - adheres to epithelial cells of the respiratory tract.
What can M.pneumoniae cause?
- Tracheobronchitis
2. Walking pneumonia (atypical pneumonia)
How can we diagnose M.pneumoniae?
- Cold agglutinins
- Complement fixation test
- Culture
- Rapid identification tests
How can we culture M.pneumoniae?
- Requires cholesterol and nucleic acids.
- Add penicillins to inhibit growth of contaminating bacteria.
- Dome shaped colonies with “fried-egg” appearance or “mulberry” appearance (in the case of M.pneumoniae).
How can we rapidly identify M.pneumoniae?
Sputum can be tested with DNA probes (nucleic acid hybridization). PCR of sputum samples.
What is important to keep in mind about M.pneumoniae infection?
- Chest X-Ray will show patchy infiltrates that look worse than physical exam and clinical suggest.
- Disease usually occurs in children, adolescents, and young adults.
What is the morphology of Ureaplasma urealyticum?
- No cell wall
2. Pleomorphic
What is the metabolism of Ureaplasma urealyticum?
- Requires cholesterol
2. Urease metabolizes urea into ammonia and CO2.w
What can U.urealyticum cause?
Non gonococcal urethritis: burning on urination, with a yellow mucoid discharge from the urethra.
How can we diagnose U.urealyticum?
- Requires cholesterol and urea for growth.
2. Colonies are extremely tiny (T-strain).
Do Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma have toxins?
No toxins.
