# Detection of Mycoplasma pneumoniae in hospitalized children with pneumonia in Laos

## TL;DR

The study found Mycoplasma pneumoniae in three hospitalized children in Laos, highlighting the need for better diagnostic systems and treatment guidelines.

## Contribution

The study is the first to report M. pneumoniae detection in children with pneumonia in Laos using real-time PCR.

## Key findings

- M. pneumoniae was detected in three children with pneumonia in Laos.
- Two of the infected children also had other pathogens detected.
- The findings suggest a need for improved diagnostics and understanding of M. pneumoniae in Laos.

## Abstract

Mycoplasma pneumoniae has been described worldwide as an important cause of community-acquired pneumonia. From December 2013 to December 2014, 461 children admitted to Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane, Laos, with acute respiratory infection were investigated for upper respiratory microorganisms using probe-based real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (FTD33).
M. pneumoniae was detected by FTD33 in the upper respiratory tract of three patients, two girls and one boy, 5.7 and 3.9 years old and 13.6 years old, respectively. They presented with clinical features compatible with
M. pneumoniae infection. The two girls were also positive for other potential pathogens. The boy had abnormal pulmonary auscultation, and one of the girls had significant anaemia. These results suggest that enhancement of diagnostic systems for
M. pneumoniae detection and analysis of its antibiotic resistance profile is needed to raise awareness and improve understanding of the epidemiology of
M. pneumoniae infection in Laos, enable targeted therapy, and inform treatment guidelines.