Mycoplasma

Question 0

What is the metabolism of M.pneumoniae?

Answer 0

1. Requires CHOLESTEROL for membrane formation.

2. Facultative anaerobe.

Question 1

What is the morphology of Mycoplasma pneumoniae?

Answer 1

1. No cell wall
2. Pleomorphic
3. Smallest bacterium capable of groin and reproducing outside a living cell (smaller than some viruses).
4. Motile (glides)

Question 2

What is the virulence of M.pneumoniae?

Answer 2

Protein P1 - adheres to epithelial cells of the respiratory tract.

Question 3

What can M.pneumoniae cause?

Answer 3

1. Tracheobronchitis

2. Walking pneumonia (atypical pneumonia)

Question 4

How can we diagnose M.pneumoniae?

Answer 4

1. Cold agglutinins
2. Complement fixation test
3. Culture
4. Rapid identification tests

Question 5

How can we culture M.pneumoniae?

Answer 5

1. Requires cholesterol and nucleic acids.
2. Add penicillins to inhibit growth of contaminating bacteria.
3. Dome shaped colonies with “fried-egg” appearance or “mulberry” appearance (in the case of M.pneumoniae).

Question 6

How can we rapidly identify M.pneumoniae?

Answer 6

Sputum can be tested with DNA probes (nucleic acid hybridization). PCR of sputum samples.

Question 7

What is important to keep in mind about M.pneumoniae infection?

Answer 7

1. Chest X-Ray will show patchy infiltrates that look worse than physical exam and clinical suggest.
2. Disease usually occurs in children, adolescents, and young adults.

Question 8

What is the morphology of Ureaplasma urealyticum?

Answer 8

1. No cell wall

2. Pleomorphic

Question 9

What is the metabolism of Ureaplasma urealyticum?

Answer 9

1. Requires cholesterol

2. Urease metabolizes urea into ammonia and CO2.w

Question 10

What can U.urealyticum cause?

Answer 10

Non gonococcal urethritis: burning on urination, with a yellow mucoid discharge from the urethra.

Question 11

How can we diagnose U.urealyticum?

Answer 11

1. Requires cholesterol and urea for growth.

2. Colonies are extremely tiny (T-strain).

Question 12

Do Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma have toxins?

Answer 12

No toxins.