Increased incidence of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in England and Wales in 2010: multiocus variable number tandem repeat analysis typing and macrolide susceptibility.

Increased incidence of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in England and Wales in 2010: multiocus variable number tandem repeat analysis typing and macrolide susceptibility. An epidemic of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection began in Denmark in late 2010. A similar increase in M. pneumoniae infections was noted in England and Wales in the same period, with a decline in early 2011. Multiocus variable number tandem repeat analysis typing and analysis of macrolide resistance markers indicate that at least nine known and two novel strain types were circulating in England and Wales during October 2010 to January 2011. There was no evidence of macrolide resistance. After an epidemic of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in Denmark in late 2010 was reported, we found a similar increase in the number of M. pneumoniae infections in England and Wales in the same time period. By early 2011, the number of infections had fallen in England and Wales. Background M. pneumoniae is a common cause of pneumonia and is transmitted by aerosol or close contact. In England and Wales, the pathogen is found in all age groups, with higher prevalence in children aged 5–14 years [1]. Epidemic periods lasting on average 18 months have occurred at approximately four yearly intervals, as seen Denmark [2,3]. Epidemic periods follow the same pattern: sporadic infection occurs at a low level with seasonal peaks from December to February [1,2]. Recently, data were reported from Denmark indicating that a M. pneumoniae epidemic had started in October 2010 [3]. As previous epidemic periods in England and Wales have been synchronous with those in Denmark, we sought to determine whether an epidemic was also occurring in England and Wales. In these two countries of the United Kingdom, data submitted voluntarily from routine laboratory reports are collated by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) to give an indication of the number of patients testing positive by serological, molecular or culture tests for M. pneumoniae per week. More recently, community surveillance data based on quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis have been used successfully to monitor M. pneumoniae infection in patients with respiratory symptoms – influenza-like illness, upper respiratory tract infection, lower respiratory tract infection, fever (>38.5 °C) or myalgia – attending general practitioner (GP) clinics (from 2005 to 2009) [1]. This was an extension to the virological community surveillance that is undertaken annually in England and Wales for a range of respiratory viruses including influenza virus, respiratory syncitial …