[Coinfection with chlamydia and mycoplasma. Incidence in our environment].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the presence Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydia pneumoniae and to determine their importance as the cause of community-acquired pneumonia in childhood.


METHODS
We performed a retrospective descriptive study of all the patients aged less than 15 years old diagnosed with community-acquired pneumonia due to M. pneumoniae in the pediatric emergency department of our hospital between May 1998 and May 2000. Patients in whom C. pneumoniae was also identified as a cause of pneumonia were investigated.


RESULTS
Of 242 cases of community-acquired pneumonia, 82 were due to M. pneumoniae (34.7 %) and 32 were due to C. pneumoniae (13.22 %) Of these, eight cases were coinfections with C. pneumoniae and M. pneumoniae. Most infections occurred in boys (5/8). The mean age at diagnosis was 7.7 years. No seasonal predominance was found.


CONCLUSIONS
Both C. pneumoniae and M. pneumoniae play a substantial role in community-acquired pneumonia in children aged more than 5 years old. Although coinfection with both species usually worsens the course of the disease, outcome in all the patients studied was satisfactory.
Megías Montijano
A
A
Sección de Infectología Pediátrica. Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón. Madrid. España.
Gómez Campderá
J A
JA
Navarro Gómez
M L
ML
Urán Moreno
M
M
González Sánchez
M I
MI
Rodríguez Fernández
R
R
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009177:Mycoplasma pneumoniae; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D011019:Pneumonia, Mycoplasma / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology