An outbreak of Mycoplasma pneumoniae respiratory illness in a semi-closed religious commune

✍ Scribed by R.L. Muldoon; J. Raucci; J. Kowalski; K. Rajashekaraiah

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1982
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 276 KB
• Volume: 11
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1097-6760
• DOI: 10.1016/s0196-0644(82)80203-5

✦ Synopsis

An Outbreak of Mycoplasma pneumoniae

Respiratory Illness in a Semi-Closed Religious Commune

Of approximately 200 members of a religious commune, 37 came to the emergency department of Cook County Hospital for primary medical care of respiratory illness. Of the 37, 31 were seen during a two-week period, indicating a rapid spread of disease. The ma~or symptoms were cough, fever, coryza, and sore throat. Infiltrates were detected in 38%. Paired sera from four of nine patients showed a significant rise to Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Of 24 sera collected at the time of the first visit~ 33% had a titer to the agent, of 64 or greater --presumptive evidence of Mycoplasma infection. Therefore, M pnel~moniae was implicated as the causative agent in this outbreak of respiratory illness in a semf-closed community. /Muldoon RL,