title: An outbreak of mycoplasma pneumoniae respiratory illness in a semi-closed religious commune.
abstract: Of approximately 200 members of a religious commune, 37 came to the emergency department of Cook County Hospital for primary medical care of respiratory illness. Of the 37, 31 were seen during a two-week period, indicating a rapid spread of disease. The major symptoms were cough, fever, coryza, and sore throat. Infiltrates were detected in 38%. Paired sera from four of nine patients showed a significant rise to Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Of 24 sera collected at the time of the first visit, 33% had a titer to the agent, of 64 or greater--presumptive evidence of Mycoplasma infection. Therefore, M pneumoniae was implicated as the causative agent in this outbreak of respiratory illness in a semi-closed community.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002641:Chicago; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008875:Middle Aged; D009175:Mycoplasma Infections / Q000150:complications; D009177:Mycoplasma pneumoniae; D011019:Pneumonia, Mycoplasma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D012067:Religion; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology