Mycoplasma pneumoniae COVID-19 Delta Variant Co-Infection Mimicking COVID-19 ARDS.

The Delta variant of COVID-19 has been associated with severe disease causing a surge in the second half of 2021. Atypical pathogens can be present in those in particular with severe ARDS and can contribute to excess morbidity and mortality. We must maintain a high level of suspicion for these pathogens as this can present an opportunity to dramatically improve the prognosis of a patient with COVID-19 ARDS. However, lend caution to Mycoplasma IgM serology as this can be a false-positive. If suspicion remains high for Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection, sputum polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for M pneumoniae is the gold standard for diagnosis. We present the case of a 42-year-old female with COVID-19 Delta variant presumed ARDS who had co-infection with M pneumoniae confirmed by endotracheal sputum aspirate PCR with rapidly improving oxygenation and extubation within 4 days of effective antibiotic therapy.

Viruses and Mycoplasma pneumoniae are the main etiological agents of community-acquired pneumonia in hospitalized pediatric patients in Spain.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the etiology of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in hospitalized children in Spain and analyze the predictors of the etiology. HYPOTHESIS: The different etiological groups of pediatric CAP are associated with different clinical, radiographic, and analytical data. DESIGN: Observational, multicenter, and prospective study. PATIENT SELECTION: This study included children aged 1 month to 17 years with CAP, who were hospitalized between April 2012 and May 2019. METHODS: An extensive microbiological workup was performed. The clinical, radiographic, and analytical parameters were analyzed for three etiological groups. RESULTS: Among the 495 children included, at least one causative pathogen was identified in 262 (52.9%): pathogenic viruses in 155/262 (59.2%); atypical bacteria (AB), mainly Mycoplasma pneumonia, in 84/262 (32.1%); and typical bacteria (TyB) in 40/262 (15.3%). Consolidation was observed in 89/138 (64.5%) patients with viral CAP, 74/84 (88.1%) with CAP caused by AB, and 40/40 (100%) with CAP caused by TyB. Para-pneumonic pleural effusion (PPE) was observed in 112/495 (22.6%) patients, of which 61/112 (54.5%) presented a likely causative pathogen: viruses in 12/61 (19.7%); AB in 23/61 (37.7%); and TyB in 26/61 (42.6%). Viral etiology was significantly frequent in young patients and in those with low oxygen saturation, wheezing, no consolidation, and high lymphocyte counts. CAP patients with AB as the etiological agent had a significantly longer and less serious course as compared to those with other causative pathogens. CONCLUSIONS: Viruses and M. pneumoniae are the main causes of pediatric CAP in Spain. Wheezing, young age, and no consolidation on radiographs are indicative of viral etiology. Viruses and AB can also cause PPE. Since only a few cases can be directly attributed to TyB, the indications for antibiotics must be carefully considered in each patient.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae-induced rash and mucositis.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae-induced rash and mucositis (MIRM) is a recently defined clinical entity characterized by pneumonia caused by M. pneumoniae with associated mucositis and frequent cutaneous lesions of a characteristic pattern. Although often similar in presentation, MIRM has distinct clinical and histologic features that are different from erythema multiforme and Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis. We report a case of MIRM in a nine-year-old boy.

Recurrent reactive infectious mucocutaneous eruption (RIME) in two adolescents triggered by several distinct pathogens including SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A.

Reactive infectious mucocutaneous eruption (RIME) was proposed as new terminology to encompass postinfectious mucocutaneous eruptions. The term includes all postinfectious mucocutaneous eruptions such as the widely reported Mycoplasma pneumoniae-induced rash and mucositis (MIRM). Very few reports in the literature regarding recurrent RIME are found. We present two adolescent cases of recurrent RIME that involve SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A where the latter is a newly reported infectious trigger; in both patients, the initial episode was likely triggered by Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) infection.

A Previously Healthy 18-Year-Old Male With Fever, Arrhythmia, and Shock.

A male individual aged 18 years with no significant past medical history presented with fever, headache, dry cough, and chest pain. On clinical examination, he had tachycardia and hypotension needing intravenous fluid resuscitation and inotropic support. A chest radiograph revealed streaky lung opacities, and he was treated with antibiotics for suspected community-acquired pneumonia complicated by septic shock. Significant elevation of cardiac enzymes was noted, and there was a continued need for inotropes to maintain normotension. He also developed intermittent bradycardia, with serial electrocardiograms showing first-degree atrioventricular block, low-voltage QRS complexes, and ST-T wave changes and telemetry demonstrating junctional and ventricular escape rhythm. A complete workup for sepsis and acute myocarditis were performed to find the etiologic agent. Intravenous immunoglobulins were started to treat myocarditis, with eventual clinical improvement. He was eventually diagnosed with an unusual etiology for his illness. He was noted to still have intermittent ventricular escape rhythm on electrocardiograms on follow-up 2 weeks after discharge but continues to remain asymptomatic and in good health.

Epidemiological and Clinical Characteristics of Patients With Coronavirus Disease-2019 in Shiyan City, China.

To investigate the early epidemic of COVID-19, a total of 176 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Shiyan city, Hubei province, China were surveyed. Our data indicated that the rate of emergence of early confirmed COVID-19 cases in Hubei province outside Wuhan was dependent on migration population, and the second-generation of patients were family clusters originating from Wuhan travelers. Epidemiological investigation indicated that the reproductive number (R0) under containment strategies was 1.81, and asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 carriers were contagious with a transmission rate of 10.7%. Among the 176 patients, 53 were admitted to the Renmin Hospital of Hubei University of Medicine. The clinical characteristics of these 53 patients were collected and compared based on a positive RT-PCR test and presence of pneumonia. Clinical data showed that 47.2% (25/53) of COVID-19 patients were co-infected with Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and COVID-19 patients coinfected with M. pneumoniae had a higher percentage of monocytes (P < 0.0044) and a lower neutrophils percentage (P < 0.0264). Therefore, it is important to assess the transmissibility of infected asymptomatic individuals for SARS-CoV-2 transmission; moreover, clinicians should be alert to the high incidence of co-infection with M. pneumoniae in COVID-19 patients.