ABSTRACT
Denmark experienced two waves of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection during autumn and early winter in 2010 and 2011, respectively. Both affected the whole country. The proportion of positive results was almost the same for both, indicating that the two waves were probably of equal size. High macrolide consumption during the epidemics did not seem to affect levels of macrolide resistance in M. pneumoniae, which remain low in Demark (1% to 3%).
Subject(s)
Epidemics/statistics & numerical data , Mycoplasma pneumoniae/isolation & purification , Pneumonia, Mycoplasma/epidemiology , Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use , Denmark/epidemiology , Drug Resistance, Bacterial , Drug Utilization/statistics & numerical data , Humans , Incidence , Macrolides/therapeutic use , Mycoplasma pneumoniae/drug effects , Pneumonia, Mycoplasma/diagnosis , Pneumonia, Mycoplasma/drug therapy , Population SurveillanceABSTRACT
In Denmark recurrent epidemics of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections have been described since the 1950s at intervals of approximately four to six years. The latest epidemic occurred in 2004/05 followed by two years of high incidence and more than three years of low incidence. Due to a recent increase in diagnosed cases since late summer 2010, we conducted a survey of positive M. pneumoniae PCR tests performed by clinical microbiology departments in Denmark, which indicated that a new epidemic may be underway.