Mycoplasma p neumoniae Pneumonia and Co-Infection with Post-COVID-19: A Single Centre Analysis

Abstract

Background: Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) is the primary causative agent of community-acquired pneumonia, which has increasingly become resistant to macrolides, complicating treatment regimens, especially with the co-infection factor. Its worldwide prevalence has fluctuated due to the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study investigated co-infection patterns in children diagnosed with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP). Methods: From June 2022 to December 2023, we retrospectively analyzed the clinical data for hospitalized children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia in Wuhan, China. We collected data on age, sex, clinical information, and pathogenic results. We also collected sputum or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples to test respiratory pathogens and macrolide resistance using targeted microbial next-generation sequencing (tNGS). We analyzed the data using SPSS. Results: The study involved 417 patients diagnosed with MPP, of whom 86.33% had co-infections. Co-infections were notably linked to lobar pneumonia, prominent imaging shadows and higher macrolide resistance rate. Key bacterial pathogens were Streptococcus pneumoniae , Haemophilus influenzae , Staphy lococcus aureus , rhinoviruses, and human adenoviruses (HADV). In MPP cases, Candida albicans was the fungal pathogen related to co-infections. The co-infection with HADV and human bocavirus 1 (HBoV1) correlated with prolonged fever, whereas Bordetella pertussis was linked to prolonged cough. In contrast, Candida albicans exhibited a weaker association with diffuse large-area infiltration on chest imaging, and its co-infection was less likely to result in severe disease. Conclusion: These results offer valuable insight into Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia in children, highlighting the impact of co-infections on the disease’s clinical outcomes.