Clinical analysis of adult community-acquired pneumonia in Sichuan

Objective To investigate the epidemiology,clinical presentation and therapy of mycoplasma pneumoniae in community-acquired pneumonia(CAP) in Sichuan Province.Methods 273 adult patients with CAP from 10 hospitals in Sichuan Province were enrolled in the study.Bacterial culture from respiratory tract exudates and serological tests from paired serum samples for mycoplasma pneumoniae were detected.Results Among the 50 cases of mycoplasma pneumonia identified from the 273 patients,17 were accompanied with bacterial infections and 33 were single mycoplasma-infected pneumonia.There was no correlation regarding the mycoplasma pneumonia between male and female.Mycoplasma pneumonia infection was more frequently seen among patients aged below 50 years,especially below 30 years.No significant difference was noted in terms of symptoms,signs and laboratory tests between general bacteria-infected pneumonia and mycoplasma-infected pneumonia.The main typical features for mycoplasma pneumonia were dry cough and slight pulmonary signs.Conclusion Mycoplasma pneumonia accounts for 18.32% of community-acquired pneumonia and it is thereupon regarded as one of the major pathogens.Antibiotic treatment for CAP patients should cover atypical pathogens.