title: Distributions of antibody titers to Mycoplasma pneumoniae in Korean children in 2000-2003.
abstract: The aim of study was to describe Mycoplasma pneumoniae epidemics in a hospital-based population. Special attention was paid to the relationship between antibody titer to M. pneumoniae and sex, age, and atopy. During the eight 6-month periods between January 2000 and December 2003, serum samples were obtained from 1,319 Korean children who presented with respiratory symptoms, and were examined for antibodies to M. pneumoniae using the indirect particle agglutination test. Geometric mean antibody titers peaked in the second half of 2000 and then decreased gradually, a second peak occurred in the second half of 2003. Likewise, the frequency of high antibody titers (> or =1:640) also peaked during these two periods. Antibody titers in children aged 0-3 yr were lower than in older children during both peak periods and for 2 yr after the first peak. Sex and atopy had no effect on antibody titers. During the years 2000-2003, geometric mean antibody titers and the frequencies of high antibody titers varied with time. These changes suggest a cyclic pattern of M. pneumoniae infection, with two epidemic peaks separated by 3 yr.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Dongguk University Interna-tional Hospital, Ilsan, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jinho
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Young
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Do Kyun
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hee
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Young Yull
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Koh
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009177:Mycoplasma pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology*; D011019:Pneumonia, Mycoplasma / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial