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Severe Mycoplasma Pneumoniae Infection in Children Admitted to Pediatric Intensive Care

Katie M Moynihan1,2,3,4, Andrew Barlow2, Clare Nourse4,5

  • 1From the Department of Cardiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.

The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal
|June 19, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections are uncommon in pediatric intensive care units, affecting only 0.3% of admissions. Empiric antimicrobial treatment for this specific pneumonia cause is rarely necessary in critically ill children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Intensive Care
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Respiratory Medicine

Background:

  • Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a frequent cause of community-acquired pneumonia.
  • Severe M. pneumoniae infections can be life-threatening in pediatric populations.
  • Understanding its prevalence in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) is crucial for treatment guidelines.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the incidence of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections in pediatric intensive care unit admissions.
  • To compare the outcomes of M. pneumoniae infected patients with other critically ill children.
  • To evaluate the need for empiric antimicrobial coverage for M. pneumoniae in the PICU setting.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 11,526 pediatric intensive care unit admissions.
  • Identification of M. pneumoniae cases using clinical and laboratory criteria.
  • Comparison of outcomes between M. pneumoniae cases and a control group of 3005 patients with other infections.

Main Results:

  • Only 30 cases (0.3%) of confirmed Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection were identified.
  • Patient outcomes for M. pneumoniae infections were comparable to those with other infections (P > 0.1).
  • The low incidence suggests limited need for empiric treatment.

Conclusions:

  • Mycoplasma pneumoniae is an infrequent cause of severe illness in the PICU.
  • Empiric antimicrobial therapy for M. pneumoniae is generally not indicated for pediatric intensive care unit patients.
  • Clinical and laboratory confirmation should guide M. pneumoniae treatment decisions.

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