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General Characteristics
- Small pleomorphic
- NO CELL WALL
- Slow growers
- Highly fastidious
- Need complex media
- Mycoplasmas adhere to the epithelium of mucosal surfaces
- Mycoplasma Class Mollicutes
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What are the 3 species of Human pathogens for Mycoplasma?
- M. pneumoniae (Respiratory)
- M. hominis (genital)
- Ureaplasma (urogenital)
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How are the Human pathogens for Mycoplasmas transmitted?
- Sexual contact
- Mother to child
- Respiratory secretions
- Fomites
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How do you collect a specimen for Mycoplasmas?
- No cell wall so are susceptible to drying
- Immediate transport to lab is important
- Swabs are placed with TSB 0.5% albumin and 400U penicillin
- Specimen should be placed at -70C if not processed immediately
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What are the growth conditions for Mycoplasma?
- Cultures are seldom ordered
- Require trained personal (experts)
- Only 40% sensitivity
- Special media: SP4 broth/agar and 5-10% CO2
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What organism requires only SBA and arginine?
M. hominis
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What organism requires SBA and urea and can also use Shepherd's 10 B Broth?
Ureoplasma
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What are more growth conditions required for Mycoplasma?
- Blood Cultures need 1% gelatin to decrease toxicity of SPS
- Collection must be ASAP (due to dryness)
- Dracon and Ca alginate swabs with metal shaft
- TSB with 0.5% albumin and 400U/mL of penicillin for transport
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How do you identify Mycoplasmas?
- Like colonies stained with Dienes stain
- Colonies have a typical fried egg appearance
- Stained colonies have a light periphery and dark-blue center
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How long does M. hominis take to grow?
2 days
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How long does M. pneumoniae take to grow?
20 days
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What organisms grow in NY city agar as minute colonies, only observed with a stereoscope?
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What are the Serological procedures to identify Mycoplasmas?
- Cold agglutinins (used for detecting atypical penumonia)
- EIA and IHA detect both IgG and IgM
- Complement fixation
- Indirect immunofluorescence
- PCR (very specific)
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Reference labs perform serology on what organisms?
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Characteristics of Mycoplasma pneumoniae are:
- Causes a typical pneumonia or "walking pneumonia"
- 20% of the reported pneumonias
- Higher incidence in young adults (not seasonal)
- Groups at risk: college students, military
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Mycoplasma S/S?
- Transmission is by aerosol droplets
- Most infections asymptomatic or mild
- Incubation period 2-3 weeks
- Non-specific symptoms: sore throat, dry cough, fever, malaise, anorexia
- Extrapulmonary infections are rare
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Characteristics of M. hominis and Ureaplasma urealyticum:
- Associated with urogenital tract
- Opportunistic pathogens
- Higher rates in Africans (men and woman)
- M. hominis found in 50% of healthy adults (interpretation difficult when asymptomatic)
- Reported as cause of Non gonococcal urethritis
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What organism causes salpingitis, pelvic, inflamatory disease, and post-partum fever?
M. hominis
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What organism causes 10% of cases of Non gonococcal urethritis in man and upper female genitourinary tract disorders?
U. urealyticum
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What are the antimicrobials these organisms are susceptible?
- Tetracycline
- Erythromycin
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