Epidemiological features of community-acquired mycoplasma pneumonia

Aim . To analyse an epidemic process of community-acquired mycoplasma pneumonia in the Volga Federal District and the Nizhny Novgorod Region. Materials and Methods . We retrospectively analysed statistical reporting forms and electronic databases for 2012-2019 which included 443 cases of community-acquired mycoplasma pneumonia (349 foci and 4 outbreaks). In 2020, we assessed aetiology of community-acquired pneumonia in hospitalized patients of all ages who were diagnosed with a radiologically confirmed pneumonia (152 cases). In 2021, we carried out a microbiological study of pneumonia-causing pathogens in the nasopharynx among the healthy population (325 cases). Results . Average long-term incidence of community-acquired pneumonia in Nizhny Novgorod Region for 2012-2019 was 3.4 per 100,000 population (95% CI = 0.3-6.5, p < 0.001), with a pronounced upward trend. In general, the aetiology of community-acquired pneumonia in the Nizhny Novgorod Region in 2019 was established at 25.81 ± 0.7% cases. M. pneumoniae accounted for 8.00 ± 0.43% cases (56.72 ± 2.53%) of all aetiologically defined communityacquired pneumonias. In children, the aetiology was determined in 93.1 ± 2.5% cases, of which M. pneumoniae accounted for 13.8 ± 3.5% cases (14.6 ± 3.74% of all community-acquired pneumonias). Conclusion . Mycoplasma pneumonia is responsible for a significant proportion of all community-acquired pneumonias in Nizhny Novgorod Region. Notably, there is a low detection rate of mycoplasma pneumonia in certain territories that might explain an uneven distribution of associated morbidity.