Abstract
Twenty-eight of 444 children under 4 years of age developed cold agglutinins in association with a respiratory illness. Infection with the Eaton agent, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, could not be established by C-F tests in any of these 28 cases. In 18 cases, pathogens other than the Eaton agent were implicated. A positive cold agglutinin test was of no value in making an etiologic diagnosis. Complement-fixation tests for antibody to the Eaton agent in 106 children with respiratory illnesses showed an antibody titer rise in 1 case and stationary titers in 12 others. These observations covered a 4-year period on the pediatric inpatient service of a large metropolitan general hospital. Sporadic cases of pneumonia due to Mycoplasma pneumoniae, confirmed by C-F antibody titer rises, were observed in older children and adults in the same metropolitan area during this period, but no evidence of epidemic occurrence was observed.
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