Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-s2hrs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-06T10:15:24.209Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Changes in the epidemiological pattern of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections in Denmark

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2009

K. Lind
Affiliation:
Mycoplasma Laboratory.
M. W. Bentzon
Affiliation:
Biostatistical Department, Statens Seruminstitut, Amager Boulevard 80, DK-2300 Copenhagen S., Denmark
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

A seroepidemiological survey has shown a remarkable shift in the previously reported regular cyclic pattern of Mycoplasma pneumoniae epidemics which culminated every 4·5 years during the period 1958–74. The last of four regular epidemics occurred in 1972. It was followed by ‘premature’ epidemics in 1975 and 1977/8 which inaugurated a change from an epidemic to an endemic pattern of the infection in Denmark. Over the following 9 years (1978–86) there has been an irregular but significant decrease in the annual number of seropositive samples with the usual high incidence during winter seasons. This endemic period terminated in the fourth trimester of 1987 with the development of a new epidemic. The hypothesis is advanced that a sixfold increase of children in day care may have influenced the change from an epidemic to an endemic situation which after 9 years led to a new epidemic of M. pneumoniae infection.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1988

References

Anonymous (1986). Monthly report from the PHLS Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre. British Medical Journal 292, 889.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Anonymous (1987). Report from the PHLS Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre. British Medical Journal 294, 361362.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bertelsen, O. (1987). The Danish National Institute of Social Research. Personal communication.Google Scholar
Biberfeld, G. (1971). Antibody responses in Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in relation to serum immunoglobulins, especially IgM. Acta Pathologica Microbiologica Scandinavica. Section B 79, 615629.Google Scholar
Bretschneider, R., Witzleb, W. & Witzlebl, H. (1979). Einige epidemiologisché und klinische Aspekte der Mycoplasma pneumoniae–In fektionen im Kindesalter. Deutsches Gesundheits–Wesen 34, 17561763.Google Scholar
Chanock, R. M., Fox, H. H., James, W. D., Gutekunst, R. R., White, R.J.&, Senterfit L. B. (1967). Epidemiology of M. pneumoniae infection in military recruits. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 143, 484496.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chanock, R. M., Mufson, M. A., Bloom, H. H., James, W. D., Fox, H. H. & Kingston, J. r. (1961). Eaton agent pneumonia. Journal of the American Medical Association 175, 213220.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Clyde, W. A. Jr. (1979). Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections of man. In The Mycoplasmas, vol. II (ed. J.G., TullyWhitcomb, R. F), pp. 275303. New York: Academic Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Denny, F. W., Clyde, W. A. Jr., & Glezen, W. P. (1971). Mycoplasma pneumoniae disease: clinical spectum, pathophysiology, epidemiology, and control. The Journal of Infectious Diseases 123, 7492.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Eaton, M. D., Meiklejohm, G. & Van, Herick W. (1944). Studies on the etiology of primary atypical pneumonia. A filterable agent transmissible to cotton rats, hamsters and chick embryos. Journal of Experimental Medicine 79, 649668.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Evans, A. S., Allen, V. & Sueltmann, S. (1967). Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections in university of Wisconsin students. American Review of Respiratory Disease 96, 237244.Google ScholarPubMed
Fernald, G. W., Clyde, W. A. Jr. & Denny, F. W. (1967). Nature of the immune response to Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Journal of Immunology 98, 10281038.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fernald, G. W., Collier, A. M. & Clyde, W. A. Jr. (1975). Respiratory infections due to Mycoplasma pneumoniae in infants and children. Pediatrics 55, 327335.Google ScholarPubMed
Flugsrud, L. B. (1987). Monthly report of positive findings from virological laboratories. Department of Virology, National Institute for Public Health, Oslo, Norway. Personal communication.Google Scholar
Foy, H. M., Cooney, M. K., Allan, I. & Kenny, G. E. (1979). Rates of pneumonia during influenza epidemics in Seattle, 1964 to 1975. Journal of the American Medical Association 241, 253258.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Foy, H. M., Kenny, G. E., Sefi, R., Ochs, H. D. & Allan, I. D. (1977). Second attacks of pneumonia due to Mycoplasma pneumoniae. The Journal of Infectious Diseases 135, 673677.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Glezen, W. P., Loda, F. A., Clyde, W. A. Jr., Senior, R. J., Sheaffer, C. I., Conley, W. G. & Denny, F. W. (1971). Epidemiologic patterns of acute lower respiratory disease of children in a pediatric group practice. The Journal of Pediatrics 78, 397406.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Handrick, W., Heinze, M., Winter, R., Lange, R. & Rudolf, D. (1987). Infections due to Mycoplasma pneumoniae in children and adolescents. Zeitschrift für Erkrankungen der Atmungsorgane 168, 5965.Google ScholarPubMed
Hers, J. F. P. & Masurel, N. (1967). Infection with Mycoplasma pneumoniae in civilians in the Netherlands. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 143, 447460.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jansson, E., Von Essen, R. & Tuuri, S. (1971). Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia in Helsinki 1962–1970. Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases 3, 5154.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Joosting, A. C. C., Harwin, R. M., Coppin, A., Battaglia, P. & Van Der, Hoef P. (1976). A serological investigation of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection on the Witwatersrand. South African Medical Journal 50, 21342135.Google ScholarPubMed
Kenny, G. E. & Grayston, J. T. (1965). Eaton pleuropneumonia-like organism (Mycoplasma pneumoniae) complement-fixing antigen: Extraction with organic solvents. Journal of Immunology 95, 1925.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kleemola, M. (1987). National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland. Personal communication.Google Scholar
Lind, K. (1968). Immunological relationships between Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Streptococcus MG. Acta Pathologica Microbiologica Scandinavica 73, 237244.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lind, K. (1971). Incidence of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in Denmark from 1958 to 1969. Acta Pathologica Microbiologica Scandinavica, Section B 79, 239247.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lind, K. & Bentzon, M. W. (1976). Epidemics of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in Denmark from 1958 to 1974. International Journal of Epidemiology 5, 267277.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lind, K., Mansa, B. & Olesen, H. (1963). Pencillamine treatment in the cold-haemagglutinin syndrome. Acta Medica Scandinavica 173, 647660.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lind, K., Ravn, T. J. & Moller, J. (1970). Occurrence of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in patients hospitalized with acute respiratory illness. Acta Pathologica Microbiologica Scandinavica, Section B 78, 614.Google ScholarPubMed
Martelli, A., Vegis, D., Milanino, T. & Montevebde, A. (1976). The Mycoplasma pneumoniae in pathological respiratory processes. Serological disease. Annali Sclavo 18, 260267.Google ScholarPubMed
Mufson, M. A., Bloom, H. H., Manko, M. A., Kingston, J. R. & Chanock, R. M. V. (1962). Eaton agent: A review. American Journal of Public Health 52, 925932.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Niitu, Y., Suzaki, K., Miyaji, T., Horikawa, M., Komatsu, S., Terasawsa, M. & Suetake, T. (1982). Strictly four-year periodicity of outbreaks of M. pneumoniae infections and antibiotic sensitivity of M. pneumoniae isolates in Sendai. Proceedings of the 4th International Congress of the International Organization for Mycoplasmology, pp. 52. Tokyo.Google Scholar
Ortel, S.Von, Hermsdorf S. & Bender, U. (1979). Experience gathered with a measuring network programme for monitoring acute respiratory disease. Zeitschrift für die Gesamte Hygiene und ihre Grenzgebiete 25, 608612.Google Scholar
Ritter, E., Nicklisch, W. & Lange, A. (1983). Study about infections with Mycoplasma pneumoniae of out-patients with respiratory infections. Zeitschrift für die Gesamte Hygiene und ihre Grenzgebiete 29, 435438.Google Scholar
Rytel, M. W. (1964). Primary atypical pneumonia: Current concepts. American Journal of Medical Science 247, 84104.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sobèslavský, O., Brûčková, M., Kunzová, L., Vojtěchovský, K. & Syrûček, L. (1970). Adenovirus, RS virus and M. pneumoniae infections in young population of Prague in 1962–67. Journal of Hygiene, Epidemiology, Microbiology and Immunology 14, 350359.Google Scholar
Vu, A. C., Foy, H. M., Cartwright, F. D. & Kenny, G. E. (1987). The principal protein antigens of wild isolates of Mycoplasma pneumoniae as measured by human serum IgG antibodies are stable in strains collected over a ten-year period. Infection and Immunity 55, 18301836.CrossRefGoogle Scholar