title: A general practice survey of the incidence of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections.
abstract: An epidemiological survey was carried out at two centres in the north of England (Liverpool and Sunderland). One hundred and twenty patients were included in this survey to determine the relative incidence of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections in patients who present to their physician with an acute lower respiratory tract infection. Data were available at the end of the survey in 115 patients. Only one patient had a positive test for M.pneumoniae. There were nine patients who had a positive antibody test for either influenza or para-influenza. Four patients had a positive test for respiratory syncytial viruses. This survey points out the problems in the clinical diagnosis of respiratory infections in general practice.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009175:Mycoplasma Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000453:epidemiology*