Characteristics of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection among children in Wenzhou, Zhejiang

Objective To investigate the Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) infection status among children in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province. Methods MP IgM antibodies in serum of 20 385 children with suspected Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection were detected by using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and a retrospective analysis of results was conducted. Consecutive Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection surveillance was conducted every half month from January 2007 to July 2012. The infection trend and characteristics were analyzed by using the data of MP IgM antibody positive rate. Results Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection peaks occurred in January 2007 and October 2009. Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection troughs were in December 2007 and August 2011. In 2009 and 2010, the positive rates in most consecutive surveillance were over 30%, but in 2008,2011 and 2012, the positive rates in some surveillance were over 30%. The overall positive rate of MP IgM antibidy from January 2007 to July 2012 was 28.82%, while positive rates in boy and girl were 25.56% and 34.33% respectively, the difference was statistically significant (χ2=178.39, Pχ2=390.93,PMycoplasma pneumoniae infection. Conclusion The overall Mycoplasma pneumoniae IgM antibody positive rate can be used as surveillance indicator of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection epidemic. Positive rate>50% or positive rate>30% in consecutive surveillance indicate that a Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection epidemic would has occurred. Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection epidemic occurred in 2007, 2009 and 2010 and might occur in 2013 and 2014 in Wenzhou.