Objectives: To investigate the presence Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydia pneumoniae and to determine their importance as the cause of community-acquired pneumonia in childhood.
Material and 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.