Outbreak of acute respiratory disease caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae on board a deployed U.S. navy ship

J Clin Microbiol. 2009 Dec;47(12):4121-3. doi: 10.1128/JCM.01926-09. Epub 2009 Oct 21.

Abstract

We identified 179 cases of acute respiratory illness including 50 cases of radiographically confirmed pneumonia over the course of 4 months on a deployed U.S. Navy vessel. Laboratory tests showed Mycoplasma pneumoniae to be the etiological agent. This report represents the first published description of a shipboard outbreak of this pathogen.

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Disease Outbreaks / statistics & numerical data*
  • Humans
  • Military Personnel / statistics & numerical data*
  • Mycoplasma pneumoniae / classification
  • Mycoplasma pneumoniae / genetics
  • Mycoplasma pneumoniae / isolation & purification*
  • Oropharynx / microbiology
  • Pneumonia, Mycoplasma* / diagnosis
  • Pneumonia, Mycoplasma* / epidemiology
  • Pneumonia, Mycoplasma* / microbiology
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods
  • Respiratory Tract Infections* / diagnosis
  • Respiratory Tract Infections* / epidemiology
  • Respiratory Tract Infections* / etiology
  • Ships / statistics & numerical data*
  • Specimen Handling / methods
  • United States