title: High Prevalence of Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydia pneumoniae in Children with Acute Respiratory Infections from Lima, Peru.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydia pneumoniae are atypical pathogens responsible for pneumonia and a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in low income countries. The study objective is to determine the prevalence of this pathogens in Peruvian children with acute respiratory infections.
  
  
  METHODS
  A consecutive cross-sectional study was conducted in Lima, Peru from May 2009 to September 2010. A total of 675 children admitted with clinical diagnoses of acute respiratory infections were tested for Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydia pneumoniae detection by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and clinical symptoms were registered by the attending physician.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mycoplasma pneumonia was detected in 25.19% (170/675) of nasopharyngeal samples and Chlamydia pneumonia in 10.52% (71/675). The most common symptoms in patients with these atypical pathogens were rhinorrhea, cough and fever. A higher prevalence of Mycoplasma pneumoniae cases were registered in summer, between December 2009 and March 2010.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydia pneumonia are a significant cause of morbidity in Peruvian children with acute respiratory infections (ARI). Further studies should evaluate the use of reliable techniques such as PCR in Peru in order to avoid underdiagnoses of these atypical pathogens.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Research and Innovation Centre of the Faculty of Health Sciences. Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas-UPC, Lima, Peru.|Instituto de Investigación Nutricional, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: Juana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Del Valle-Mendoza
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Research and Innovation Centre of the Faculty of Health Sciences. Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas-UPC, Lima, Peru.|Instituto de Investigación Nutricional, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: Fiorella
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Orellana-Peralta
authors.affiliation: Universidad Nacional Federico Villarreal, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: Alvaro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marcelo-Rodríguez
authors.affiliation: Hospital Nacional Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Verne
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigación Nutricional, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: Mónica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Esquivel-Vizcarra
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Research and Innovation Centre of the Faculty of Health Sciences. Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas-UPC, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: Wilmer
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Silva-Caso
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Research and Innovation Centre of the Faculty of Health Sciences. Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas-UPC, Lima, Peru.|Instituto de Investigación Nutricional, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: Miguel Angel
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Aguilar-Luis
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Research and Innovation Centre of the Faculty of Health Sciences. Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas-UPC, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Weilg
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Research and Innovation Centre of the Faculty of Health Sciences. Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas-UPC, Lima, Peru.|Instituto de Investigación Nutricional, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: Verónica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Casabona-Oré
authors.affiliation: Hospital Nacional Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ugarte
authors.affiliation: Centre de Biotecnologia Molecular (CEBIM), Departament d'Enginyeria Química, ETSEIB, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) Barcelona Tech, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Luis J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Del Valle
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D061387:Chlamydial Pneumonia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009177:Mycoplasma pneumoniae / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D010568:Peru; D011019:Pneumonia, Mycoplasma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology