Clinical complications of Mycoplasma pneumoniae disease--other organs.

Although self-limited respiratory tract infections caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae are well recognized in children and young adults, respiratory involvements and hepatic dysfunction may occur. The frequency and clinical features of these complications were investigated. Experimental studies with regard to bacterial superinfection were also carried out. The test animals which were first infected with Mycoplasma pneumoniae and then with Staphylococcus aureus showed more extensive bacteriological and pathological changes than those infected with Staphylococcus aureus only. Liver biopsies performed on three human patients showed hepatic dysfunction and the histological findings were diagnosed as non-specific reactive hepatitis in each case.