Is Mycoplasma pneumoniae Adherence to Erythrocytes a Factor in Extrapulmonary Dissemination?

Abstract

Mycoplasma pneumoniae is one of the most common causes of respiratory infections in children and adults worldwide This bacterial pathogen is estimated to be responsible for at least one case of pneumonia per 1,000 persons and .100,000 adult hospitalizations per year in the United States alone [1-3]. The infection is mostly mild, but all age groups can experience more severe disease, and fatal cases occasionally occur.