Nonrespiratory complications of M. pneumoniae infection.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection occurs in more than 10 million Americans each year. Most patients have a mild respiratory illness; only 5 percent develop clinical pneumonia. Nonrespiratory complications may involve skin, joints, central nervous system, heart, liver, kidneys or blood; some lead to significant morbidity and mortality. Immune-inflammatory responses appear to be the cause of these manifestations.