Mycoplasma

ArU, CHS, dep't of MLS, G Microbiology lecture note, by N

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Characteristics
• Mycoplasma is the smallest free-living bacteria.

• Capable of self-replication

• They are unique among bacteria because they do not have a

cell wall

• Other cell wall–deficient bacteria (called L forms), can form

cell walls under the appropriate growth conditions.

• The absence of the cell wall renders the mycoplasmas

resistant to penicillins, cephalosporins, vancomycin…...
ArU, CHS, dep't of MLS, G Microbiology lecture note, by N
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 Characteristics cont’d….

• Wide spread in nature being found in soil, plants and the

mucous surfaces of animals.

• Their shapes varying from 0.2 to 0.3 µm, pass through the
0.45-µm filters used to remove bacteria from solutions

• However, the organisms divide by binary fission (typical of

all bacteria), grow on artificial cell-free media.

• Contain both RNA and DNA.

ArU, CHS, dep't of MLS, G Microbiology lecture note, by N

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Properties cont’d….

• M.pneumoniae, which is a strict aerobe.

• The mycoplasmas grow slowly, with a GT of 1 to 16 hrs

• 2 pathogenic species
• Mycoplasma pneumoniae
• Ureaplasma urealyticum.

ArU, CHS, dep't of MLS, G Microbiology lecture note, by N

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Mycoplasma pneumoniae

• Pleomorphic organism

• Selective affinity for respiratory epithelial cells

• Respiratory illness

• Targets teenagers.

ArU, CHS, dep't of MLS, G Microbiology lecture note, by N

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Pathogenesis
• Adheres to the respiratory epithelium by means of a
specialized, adhesions proteins, P1 adhesin.

• The adhesions interact specifically with sialated receptors at

the base of cilia on the epithelial cell surface

• Ciliostasis then occurs, the ciliated epithelial cells, are

destroyed.

• Interferes with the normal clearance and permits the LRT

to become contaminated with microbes.

• This process is responsible for the persistent

ArU, CHS, dep't of MLS, G Microbiology lecture note, by N
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cough present in patients with symptomatic disease.
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Clinical diseases
• Exposure to M. pneumoniae typically results in
asymptomatic carriage.

• The most common clinical presentation of M. pneumoniae

infection is bronchitis.

• Low-grade fever, malaise, headache, and a dry, non-

productive cough develop 2 to 3 weeks after exposure.

• Acute pharyngitis may also be present.

ArU, CHS, dep't of MLS, G Microbiology lecture note, by N

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Clinical diseases cotn’d….
• Symptoms gradually worsen over the next few days and can
persist for 2 weeks or longer.

• Pneumonia (referred to as primary atypical pneumonia or

walking pneumonia), do not feel very sick

• Expectorated sputum is mucoid; contains neutrophils,

bacterial cell are not visible on Gram stain.

ArU, CHS, dep't of MLS, G Microbiology lecture note, by N

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Laboratory diagnosis
• Specimen:
• Bronchial washings are more reliable than sputum
specimens because most infected patients have a dry,
nonproductive cough and do not produce sputum.

• Microscopy
• Microscopy is of no diagnostic value.

• Mycoplasmas stain poorly because they have no cell wall.

ArU, CHS, dep't of MLS, G Microbiology lecture note, by N

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 Culture
• Semi solid enriched medium containing 20% serum,
yeast extract & DNA.

• Penicillium are selective agents.

(serum – source of cholesterol & other
lipids)

• Incubate aerobically for 7 -12 days with 5–10% CO2

06/27/2023 at 35-37°C.
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 Serological diagnosis

o Non specific serological tests – cold agglutination

tests (Abs agglutinate human group O red cells at
low temperature, 4C).

o 1:32 titer or above is significant.

ArU, CHS, dep't of MLS, G

Microbiology lecture note, by N
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Ureaplasma urealyticum
• Strains of mycoplasma isolated from the urogenital tract of
human beings & animals.

• Ureaplasma loves swimming in urine and produces

urease to break down urea (so it is "urea-lytic"!).

• It is sometimes referred to as a T-strain Mycoplasma, as it

produces Tiny colonies when cultured.

• Strains of mycoplasma isolated from the urogenital tract of

human beings & animals.

ArU, CHS, dep't of MLS, G Microbiology lecture note, by N

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 Genital Infections

• Caused by U.urealyticum

• Transmitted by sexual contact

• Men – Non-specific urethritis, proctitis & Reiter’s syndrome

• Women – acute salpingitis, PID, cervicitis, vaginitis

• Also associated with infertility, abortion, postpartum fever & low birth weight
infants

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note, by N Debela
Culture
• The specimen: secretion

• inoculated into special media supplemented with

serum (provides sterols), yeast extract (for nucleic
acid precursors), glucose, a pH indicator, and
penicillin (to inhibit other bacteria).

• The organisms grow slowly in culture, with a

generation time of 6 hours.
06/27/2023 • it is relatively ArU,
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