Object: To determine the frequency, clinical features, and morbidity of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections.
Method: Retrospective study of 76 consecutive children under 16 years of age hospitalized at the Reims University Hospital from 1999 to 2005 with M. pneumoniae pneumonia. The infection was defined by the presence of M antibodies and/or an increase in G antibodies (quantitative Elisa test).
Results: M. pneumoniae was the cause of 16% (76/464) of hospitalized pneumonia cases. A significantly increased frequency was observed in 2004 (34%; 19/56) and 2005 (26%; 22/84) versus 11% from 1999 to 2003, p<5.10(-4). The mean age of the patients was 6 years and 8 months, with a peak at 3 years (14/76; 18% of patients). The most frequent clinical feature was cough (80%; 56/70). The chest X-ray showed typical radiological features such as peribronchial and perivascular interstitial infiltrates in only 23% (16/69). Respiratory and extrarespiratory complications were seen in 17 and 12 children, respectively. Only 1 child suffered from respiratory sequelae.
Conclusion: M. pneumoniae pneumonia is frequent in children over 2 years of age. The diagnosis is sometimes difficult to initially assert because there are no specific features. Respiratory and extrarespiratory complications remain possible. Respiratory sequelae can still exist even if most cases evolve favorably under treatment by macrolides.