Prevalence of <i>Mycoplasma pneumoniae</i> in children in Diyarbakir, the south‐east of Turkey

Abstract

Increasing seroprevalence rates of M. pneumoniae after 2 years of age should alert clinicians to consider the organism in the differential diagnosis of infectious diseases in this age group. The low seroprevalence rates in the first 2 years of age was thought to be due to low risk of community-based spread of the organism in this age group. The most prominent increase in seroprevalence was at 10 years of age. This data indicated that M. pneumoniae should be kept in mind while making differential diagnosis of infections. The spreading of disease and community-based transmission is also important to consider. In our study, seroprevalence rates increased at 6 and 7 years of age, at the beginning of the school age as community-based transmission takes place most commonly in crowded circumstances. In conclusion, M. pneumoniae should be thought as an important infectious agent in childhood for all age groups.