Clinico-epidemiologic Study of Mycoplasma pneumoniae Pneumonia(1993 through 2003)

Lee, Seung Hyun; Noh, Suk Man; Lee, Kyung Yil; Lee, Hyung Shin; Hong, Ja Hyun; Lee, Mi Hee; Lee, Joon Sung; Lee, Byung Chul

Abstract

PURPOSE
We evaluated the epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of mycoplasma pneumonia.
METHODS
A total of 559 medical records of children with mycoplasma pneumonia admitted to The Catholic University of Korea, Daejeon St. Mary's Hospital, were retrospectively analyzed.
RESULTS
The mean annual number of cases was 51. There was a higher occurrence in autumn (September-November, 41.7%) and in winter(26.7%). Outbreaks of mycoplasma pneumonia were noted in 1993-94, 1997, 2001, and 2003. The age distribution showed a peak frequency of 5-6 years of age and 68.2 percent of patients were in 3-8 years of age. The male-to-female ratio was 1.2:1. In comparison between 1994 and 2003, there was a difference in age distribution with a peak frequency of 5-6 years of age in 1994, and of 3-4 years of age in 2003. There were outbreaks during autumn and winter in 1993-94, and during summer and autumn in 2003.
CONCLUSION
Outbreaks of mycoplasma pneumonia occurred every 2-4 years in Daejeon in accordance with nationwide epidemics during 1993-2003. The peak incidence of age in the recent outbreak was younger than in the outbreak which occurred 10 years ago, and in outbreaks in Western countries.