Pneumonia due to Mycoplasma hominis in a Full-Term Newborn - A Case Report with Literature Review

Abstract

Mycoplasma ssp can colonize various human tissues and can cause infections. Their lack of a cell wall makes them difficult to cultivate and to treat as they are resistant to beta-lactam antibiotics. Mycoplasma hominis and ureaplasma urealyticum can colonize the genital tract. While colonization in healthy adults is usually asymptomatic, they can cause neonatal infections during pregnancy through transmission to the fetus or during birth and lead to increased morbidity and mortality, especially in premature infants. However, in full-term neonates with high colonization rates, the pathogenic role and its treatment is controversial. In the following, we present a case of neonatal pneumonia caused by M. hominis in a full-term neonate, which was successfully treated with clindamycin. Mycoplasma spp. can cause symptomatic infections in neonates in individual cases and should be considered as potential pathogens, especially in the case of a protracted course.