Seroprevalence of Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Clinical Profile of Affected Patients in a Tertiary Care Hospital

Introduction: Mycoplasma pneumoniae is the most common causative agent of community acquired pneumonia. Rapid and reliable method for the diagnosis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection is important for the appropriate treatment. Aim: To determine the rapid diagnosis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia in a clinically suspected CommunityAcquired Pneumonia (CAP) cases. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in the Department of Microbiology, JSS Hospital, Mysuru, Karnataka, India, for a period of two years from January 2016- January 2018. All the suspected cases of CAP from inpatients and outpatients attending JSS Hospital were enrolled in the study. The samples were subjected to Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) and Indirect Immunofluorescence Assay (IFA) for the detection of IgM antibodies against Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Results: A total of 200 patients were enrolled in this study. Among which 123 (61.5%) were paediatric population and 77 (38.5%) were adults respectively. A total of 60 samples were positive for IgM antimycoplasma antibody. Out of 60 samples 11 samples were positive by ELISA and 60 samples were positive by IFA. Sensitivity and specificity was found to be 100% and 74.1% of the tests. The prevalence of Mycoplasma pneumonia in the present study was found to be 30%. The most common symptom was cough followed by fever. Conclusion: Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia constituted to about 30% of CAP in our study. Combination of tests must be carried out along with significant suggestive clinical signs in the clinically suspected cases for the CAP for the better management and early diagnosis of the disease.