Mycoplasma pneumoniae

M. pneumoniae is a bacterium that causes acute respiratory illness ranging in severity from mild illness to severe pneumonia. M. pneumoniae infection may also cause a wide range of respiratory presentations such as bronchitis, bronchiolitis, pharyngitis and pneumonia.

M. pneumoniae infections are almost exclusively mild. Most people who are exposed for a short amount of time to someone with M. pneumoniae infection do not become ill. However, it is common for this illness to spread between family members or people who live together.

On rare occasions M. pneumoniae infection can result in severe complications such as encephalitis, and can be fatal. High risk groups who are at risk of developing more serious illness include those recovering from respiratory illness, people with asthma and people who are immunocompromised.

It can take 1 to 4 weeks for symptoms to appear after someone’s been exposed to the bacteria. Symptoms can last for several weeks.

Some infected people may have no symptoms. Common symptoms include:

• Feeling tired
• Fever
• Headache
• Slowly worsening cough
• Sore throat
• Younger children may have different symptoms

Instead of chest cold symptoms, children younger than 5 years old may have:

• Diarrhoea
• Sneezing
• Sore throat
• Stuffy or runny nose
• Vomiting
• Watery eyes
• Wheezing

The bacteria is spread by droplets made when people with flu cough, sneeze, or talk. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs. Less often, a person might get flu by touching a surface or object that has flu virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes. People can get an M. pneumoniae infection more than once.

If NIAS staff are aware that the patient has a suspected or confirmed case this should be communicated to the Control Room (Emergency or Non-emergency as appropriate) and the staff in the receiving unit when transferring the patient to ensure effective patient care and management.

• Droplet precautions (FRSM) should be used for routine care.
• Airborne precautions (FFP3 mask) should be used if an aerosol generating procedure for example intubation /extubation etc. is being undertaken.
• Hand Hygiene should be completed as per the 5 moments in line with usual practice.
• Eye protection should be risk assessed for any concern regarding a splash risk.
• A Fluid Resistant Surgical Mask should be worn.
• Gloves and Aprons should be worn.
• The patient should be transported via ambulance with no other patients present.
• Laundry should be treated as contaminated, placed into an alginate bag and placed into a red laundry bag.

All equipment and the ambulance should have a between patient clean paying particular attention to touch points.

Where possible leave the doors of the ambulance open while patient is being transferred to the receiving unit.

No. There are no standard post‑exposure prophylaxis (PEP) measures for Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Most people exposed do not become ill, especially after brief exposure. Because the incubation period is long (typically 2–3 weeks), If staff develop symptoms they should remain off work and contact their Line manager/ Occupational Health.