Relationship between Mycoplasma pneumonia infection and sex, age and season / 中国医师进修杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To assess the relationship between Mycoplasma pneumonia (MP) and sex,age and season,and to provide a basis for the epidemiology of MP.Methods The serum samples were tested for Mycoplasma pneumonia antibody IgM (MP-IgM) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for 782 children with respiratory tract infection.Results Among the 782 children with respiratory tract infection,221 (28.3％,221/782) were MP-IgM positive,and no difference was seen between male and female (P＞ 0.05).The incidence was in all ages,but it in 3-5 years old was the highest (50.0％,78/156),and ＜ 1 year old was the lowest (9.6％,19/198),there was significant difference compared with the others (P＜ 0.05).The total MP-IgM positive rate in children less than 6 years old was 32.4％ (193/595),which was higher than that in children over 6-14 years old [15.0％ (28/187)] (P ＜ 0.05).MP was epidemic in all year round,but the positive rate of MP-IgM was highest in spring (42.6％,107/251),the positive rate in summer,autumn and winter was 27.4％(57/208),10.8％(19/176) and 25.9％(38/147),respectively,and there was significant difference (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions MP infections in children demonstrate a definite seasonality,and the positive rate may differ by age.The higher rate of MP infection is higher in the children less than 6 years old without sexual difference.MP is epidemic in spring.