MYCOPLASMA PNEUMONIAE INFECTION COMPLICATED BY LUNG ABSCESS, PLEURAL EFFUSION, THROMBOCYTOPENIA AND DISSEMINATED INTRAVASCULAR COAGULATION

Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a major pathogen of the respiratory tract in school age children and young adults. Pneumonia caused by M. pneumoniae has been classically described as a "walking pneumonia." It usually follows a benign course and the patient does not require hospitalization. Lung abscess associated with this pathogen is extremely rare and only four cases have been reported in the English literature. Here we report a patient with lung abscess associated with M. pneumoniae who experienced a protracted illness. Pleural effusion, thrombocytopenia and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) occurred at the same time.