Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a common cause of bacterial pneumonia infections, more specifically primary atypical pneumonia, or walking pneumonia.  The symptoms of primary atypical pneumonia were first described in 1938 by HA Reimann.  At the time he did not know what the source of the infection was.  In fact, Mycoplasma pneumoniae was not even described until 1963 by NL Somerson.  Primary atypical pneumonia is usually a mild form of pneumonia and infections that do not require medical attention arePhoto showing electron micrograph of two Mycoplasma pneumoniae cells. Photo courtesy of Dr. Duncan Krause, University of Georgia.. common.  Mycoplasmic pneumonia is just one type of pneumonia; other types of pneumonia include bacterial pneumonia, fungal pneumonia, viral pneumonia, chemical pneumonia, and parasite pneumonia. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                Travis Wojtowicz

                                           Last update: April 27, 2007

 

 

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Mycoplasma pneumoniae