Respiratory tract infections

Although the bacteria Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydia pneumoniae are morphologically different, the diseases they cause are very similar. Both spread through airborne droplets and infect the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract. These infections can be the cause of pharyngitis, laryngitis, and sinusitis. A dry, persistent cough is the most characteristic symptom of these infections.

Not everyone who harbors mycoplasmas and chlamydia in their nasopharynx falls ill - it depends on the organism's resistance, but they can still infect others.

The onset of the disease is like any other: sore throat, runny nose, fever, headache, and muscle pain.

A prolonged cough is the main symptom of these infections, lasting for weeks or even months. Initially, it is a dry, very bothersome cough that can attack during sleep - the patient may cough continuously for several minutes, often even longer. After 5-10 days, thick, hard-to-cough-up mucus may appear. Patients often complain of shortness of breath.

Pneumonia. Pneumonia caused by mycoplasmas and chlamydia also begins atypically. The disease worsens slowly: initially, only a dry cough is bothersome, then the temperature rises, and other symptoms characteristic of pneumonia appear.

General blood and X-ray tests may not show any changes. Therefore, immunological blood tests need to be performed. Specific IgM antibodies appear only after 10-14 days when infected with both mycoplasmas and chlamydia. In contrast, specific IgG antibodies appear 20-30 days from the onset of the disease and can be found for a lifetime, as they indicate a past infection.