Anti-Mycoplasma pneumoniae antibody (ab20704)

Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a very small bacterium, a member of the class Mollicutes, meaning soft skin. Along with the other members of this class (Acholeplasma, Anaeroplasma, Asteroleplasma, Spiroplasma, and Ureaplasma) Mycoplasma are characterized by their unusually small genome as well as their complete lack of a bacterial cell wall. M. pneumoniae is a common cause of mild pneumonia and usually affects people younger than 40. Various studies suggest that it causes 15 to 50% of all pneumonia in adults and an even higher percentage of pneumonia in school aged children. Beta lactam antibiotics such as penicillin and cycloserine are ineffective as they act specifically to disrupt the cell wall so alternative antibiotic therapies such as the use of polyenes may be required. People at highest risk of mycoplasma pneumonia infection include those living or working in crowded areas such as schools and homeless shelters, although many people who become infected have no identifiable risk factor. M. pneumoniae can be detected via serology, PCR or in cell culture assays.