Mycoplasma pneumonia

Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a small bacterium that primarily causes respiratory tract infections. M. pneumoniae lacks a cell wall, distinguishing it from many other bacteria and making it naturally resistant to antibiotics that target cell wall synthesis, such as penicillin.

Transmission of M. pneumoniae occurs through respiratory droplets during close contact between humans and infections commonly occur in group settings, most often in children or young adults. While M. pneumoniae infections primarily affect the upper respiratory tract, they can sometimes progress to pneumonia. M. pneumoniae pneumonia is often referred to as atypical pneumonia, as its clinical and radiological presentation differ from typical community-acquired pneumonia caused by bacteria, such as Streptococcus pneumoniae. Symptoms develop gradually and may include a persistent dry cough, sore throat, hoarseness, headache, fever, and fatigue. M. pneumoniae infections tend to occur in cyclical outbreaks, typically every 3 to 7 years, with very few cases between outbreaks.

Diagnosis of M. pneumoniae infection is typically made by detecting specific DNA in respiratory tract secretions or by identifying specific antibodies in the blood. M. pneumoniae pneumonia is treated with specific antibiotics, including macrolides, fluoroquinolones, and tetracyclins. Compared to S. pneumoniae pneumonia, M. pneumoniae pneumonia is most often a mild disease that does not require hospitalization.

CDC - Mycoplasma pneumoniae

Differential Abundance Analysis Results

This section presents the results of the differential protein abundance analysis, visualized through a volcano plot and summarized in the accompanying table for all three comparisons: 1) disease vs. healthy samples, 2) disease vs. diseases from the same class, and 3) disease vs. all other diseases.

Disease vs Healthy
Disease vs Class
Disease vs All other