Cambiando los paradigmas de la infección por M. pneumoniae en pediatría

Atypical pneumonia is a term that was used originally in adult patients who had atypical pneumonia symptoms, usually with mild and benign courses, and were caused by agents such as Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydophila pneumoniae and Legionella pneumophila. In pediatric patients, the clinical and epidemiological aspects of M. pneumoniae pneumonia need special attention, because in some cases do not have benign courses and sometimes they have extrapulmonary manifestations. The diagnostic approach is complex and doing a differential diagnosis from other etiological agents is complicated. Recently, the emergence of macrolide resistance in some countries has been alarming. There are controversies regarding antibiotic treatment. Worldwide, several studies, particularly from Asian countries, had shown new data regarding the biological, clinical, epidemiological, radiological and therapeutic response of M. pneumoniae in pediatric patients.