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Microbiology (Reading, England) Jan 2020is a fastidious organism of the class the smallest prokaryote capable of independent replication. First isolated in 1981, much is still unknown regarding its natural... (Review)
Review
is a fastidious organism of the class the smallest prokaryote capable of independent replication. First isolated in 1981, much is still unknown regarding its natural history in untreated infection. It is recognized as a sexually transmitted pathogen causing acute and chronic non-gonococcal urethritis (NGU) in men, with a growing body of evidence to suggest it also causes cervicitis and pelvic inflammatory disease in women. Its role in several other clinical syndromes is uncertain. The majority of people infected remain asymptomatic and clear infection without developing disease; asymptomatic screening is therefore not recommended. Prevalence rates are higher in patients attending sexual health clinics and in men with NGU. Limited availability of diagnostics has encouraged syndromic management, resulting in widespread antimicrobial resistance and given that few antimicrobial classes have activity against , there is significant concern regarding the emergence of untreatable strains. There is a need for wider availability of testing, which should include detection of macrolide resistance mediating mutations. Expertise in interpretation of microbiological results with clinical correlation ensures targeted treatment avoiding unnecessary antibiotic exposure. Public health surveillance nationally and internationally is vital in monitoring and responding to changing epidemiology trends. In this review, we summarize current knowledge of , including epidemiology, clinical and microbiological data, and discuss treatment challenges in the era of rising multidrug resistance.
Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Humans; Mycoplasma Infections; Mycoplasma genitalium; Prevalence; Public Health Surveillance; Risk Factors; Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Bacterial; Urethritis
PubMed: 31329090
DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.000830 -
Nihon Saikingaku Zasshi. Japanese... 2015Mycoplasmas are smallest organisms capable of self-replication and cause various diseases in human. Especially, Mycoplasma pneumoniae is known as an etiological agent of... (Review)
Review
Mycoplasmas are smallest organisms capable of self-replication and cause various diseases in human. Especially, Mycoplasma pneumoniae is known as an etiological agent of pneumonia. From 2010 to 2012, epidemics of M. pneumoniae infections were reported worldwide (e.g., in France, Israel, and Japan). In the diseases caused by mycoplasmas, strong inflammatory responses induced by mycoplasmas have been thought to be important. However, mycoplasmas lack of cell wall and do not possess inflammation-inducing endotoxin such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS). We purified inflammation-inducing factors from pathogenic mycoplasmas and identified that they were lipoproteins. Lipoproteins derived from mycoplasmas induced inflammatory responses through Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2. In addition, we demonstrated that cytadherent property of M. pneumoniae played an important role in induction of inflammatory responses. Cytadherent property of M. pneumoniae induced inflammatory responses through TLR2 independent pathway. TLR4, inflammasomes, and autophagy were involved in this TLR2 independent induction of inflammatory responses.
Topics: Autophagy; Bacterial Adhesion; Bacterial Translocation; Humans; Inflammasomes; Lipoproteins; Mycoplasma; Mycoplasma pneumoniae; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma; Toll-Like Receptor 2; Toll-Like Receptor 4
PubMed: 26632216
DOI: 10.3412/jsb.70.369 -
Microbiology Spectrum Jul 2018Mycoplasmas are intrinsically resistant to antimicrobials targeting the cell wall (fosfomycin, glycopeptides, or β-lactam antibiotics) and to sulfonamides,... (Review)
Review
Mycoplasmas are intrinsically resistant to antimicrobials targeting the cell wall (fosfomycin, glycopeptides, or β-lactam antibiotics) and to sulfonamides, first-generation quinolones, trimethoprim, polymixins, and rifampicin. The antibiotics most frequently used to control mycoplasmal infections in animals are macrolides and tetracyclines. Lincosamides, fluoroquinolones, pleuromutilins, phenicols, and aminoglycosides can also be active. Standardization of methods used for determination of susceptibility levels is difficult since no quality control strains are available and because of species-specific growth requirements. Reduced susceptibility levels or resistances to several families of antimicrobials have been reported in field isolates of pathogenic species of major veterinary interest: and in poultry; , , and in swine; in cattle; and in small ruminants. The highest resistances are observed for macrolides, followed by tetracyclines. Most strains remain susceptible to fluoroquinolones. Pleuromutilins are the most effective antibiotics . Resistance frequencies vary according to the species but also according to the countries or groups of animals from which the samples were taken. Point mutations in the target genes of different antimicrobials have been identified in resistant field isolates, -selected mutants, or strains reisolated after an experimental infection followed by one or several treatments: DNA-gyrase and topoisomerase IV for fluoroquinolones; 23S rRNA for macrolides, lincosamides, pleuromutilins, and amphenicols; 16S rRNAs for tetracyclines and aminoglycosides. Further work should be carried out to determine and harmonize specific breakpoints for animal mycoplasmas so that information can be used to provide advice on selection of treatments.
Topics: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Cattle; DNA Gyrase; DNA Topoisomerase IV; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Mycoplasma; Mycoplasma Infections; Point Mutation; Poultry; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; RNA, Ribosomal, 23S; Ruminants; Species Specificity; Swine
PubMed: 30003864
DOI: 10.1128/microbiolspec.ARBA-0030-2018 -
Revista Espanola de Quimioterapia :... Jun 2021Within Mycoplasma genus, M. pneumoniae, M. genitalium, M. hominis or U. urealyticum are the main species that have been traditionally linked to infectious processes.... (Review)
Review
Within Mycoplasma genus, M. pneumoniae, M. genitalium, M. hominis or U. urealyticum are the main species that have been traditionally linked to infectious processes. However, there are many other species involved in these conditions and that are, frequently, unfamiliar to healthcare professionals. The aim of this review is to identify all Mycoplasma genus species that have been isolated in human beings and to determine their involvement in infectious pathology.
Topics: Humans; Mycoplasma; Mycoplasma Infections; Mycoplasma genitalium; Mycoplasma hominis; Ureaplasma Infections; Ureaplasma urealyticum
PubMed: 33735544
DOI: 10.37201/req/014.2021 -
Nature Aug 2023Possessing only essential genes, a minimal cell can reveal mechanisms and processes that are critical for the persistence and stability of life. Here we report on how an... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
Possessing only essential genes, a minimal cell can reveal mechanisms and processes that are critical for the persistence and stability of life. Here we report on how an engineered minimal cell contends with the forces of evolution compared with the Mycoplasma mycoides non-minimal cell from which it was synthetically derived. Mutation rates were the highest among all reported bacteria, but were not affected by genome minimization. Genome streamlining was costly, leading to a decrease in fitness of greater than 50%, but this deficit was regained during 2,000 generations of evolution. Despite selection acting on distinct genetic targets, increases in the maximum growth rate of the synthetic cells were comparable. Moreover, when performance was assessed by relative fitness, the minimal cell evolved 39% faster than the non-minimal cell. The only apparent constraint involved the evolution of cell size. The size of the non-minimal cell increased by 80%, whereas the minimal cell remained the same. This pattern reflected epistatic effects of mutations in ftsZ, which encodes a tubulin-homologue protein that regulates cell division and morphology. Our findings demonstrate that natural selection can rapidly increase the fitness of one of the simplest autonomously growing organisms. Understanding how species with small genomes overcome evolutionary challenges provides critical insights into the persistence of host-associated endosymbionts, the stability of streamlined chassis for biotechnology and the targeted refinement of synthetically engineered cells.
Topics: Biotechnology; Cell Division; Evolution, Molecular; Genome, Bacterial; Mutation; Mycoplasma mycoides; Genes, Essential; Synthetic Biology; Cell Size; Epistasis, Genetic; Selection, Genetic; Genetic Fitness; Symbiosis; Tubulin
PubMed: 37407813
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06288-x -
Nature Oct 2022Translation is the fundamental process of protein synthesis and is catalysed by the ribosome in all living cells. Here we use advances in cryo-electron tomography and...
Translation is the fundamental process of protein synthesis and is catalysed by the ribosome in all living cells. Here we use advances in cryo-electron tomography and sub-tomogram analysis to visualize the structural dynamics of translation inside the bacterium Mycoplasma pneumoniae. To interpret the functional states in detail, we first obtain a high-resolution in-cell average map of all translating ribosomes and build an atomic model for the M. pneumoniae ribosome that reveals distinct extensions of ribosomal proteins. Classification then resolves 13 ribosome states that differ in their conformation and composition. These recapitulate major states that were previously resolved in vitro, and reflect intermediates during active translation. On the basis of these states, we animate translation elongation inside native cells and show how antibiotics reshape the cellular translation landscapes. During translation elongation, ribosomes often assemble in defined three-dimensional arrangements to form polysomes. By mapping the intracellular organization of translating ribosomes, we show that their association into polysomes involves a local coordination mechanism that is mediated by the ribosomal protein L9. We propose that an extended conformation of L9 within polysomes mitigates collisions to facilitate translation fidelity. Our work thus demonstrates the feasibility of visualizing molecular processes at atomic detail inside cells.
Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Cryoelectron Microscopy; Mycoplasma pneumoniae; Peptide Chain Elongation, Translational; Polyribosomes; Protein Biosynthesis; Ribosomal Proteins; Ribosomes
PubMed: 36171285
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05255-2 -
BMJ Open Aug 2022and (genital mycoplasmas) commonly colonise the urogenital tract in pregnant women. This systematic review aims to investigate their role in adverse pregnancy and... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
OBJECTIVES
and (genital mycoplasmas) commonly colonise the urogenital tract in pregnant women. This systematic review aims to investigate their role in adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes, alone or in combination with bacterial vaginosis (BV).
METHODS
We searched Embase, Medline and CINAHL databases from January 1971 to February 2021. Eligible studies tested for any of the three genital mycoplasmas during pregnancy and reported on the primary outcome, preterm birth (PTB) and/or secondary outcomes low birth weight (LBW), premature rupture of membranes (PROM), spontaneous abortion (SA) and/or perinatal or neonatal death (PND).Two reviewers independently screened titles and abstracts, read potentially eligible full texts and extracted data. Two reviewers independently assessed risks of bias using published checklists. Random effects meta-analysis was used to estimate summary ORs (with 95% CIs and prediction intervals). Multivariable and stratified analyses were synthesised descriptively.
RESULTS
Of 57/1194 included studies, 39 were from high-income countries. In meta-analysis of unadjusted ORs, was associated with PTB (OR 1.87, 95% CI 1.49 to 2.34), PROM, LBW and PND but not SA. was associated with PTB (OR 1.84, 95% CI 1.34 to 2.55), PROM, LBW, SA and PND. was associated with PTB (1.60, 95% CI 1.12 to 2.30), PROM and SA. Nine of 57 studies reported any multivariable analysis. In two studies, analyses stratified by BV status showed that and were more strongly associated with PTB in the presence than in the absence of BV. The most frequent source of bias was a failure to control for confounding.
CONCLUSIONS
The currently available literature does not allow conclusions about the role of mycoplasmas in adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes, alone or with coexisting BV. Future studies that consider genital mycoplasmas in the context of the vaginal microbiome are needed.
PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER
CRD42016050962.
Topics: Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Mycoplasma Infections; Mycoplasma hominis; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious; Premature Birth; Ureaplasma; Ureaplasma urealyticum; Vaginosis, Bacterial
PubMed: 36028274
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-062990 -
The New England Journal of Medicine Oct 2023
Topics: Humans; Exanthema; Mucositis; Mycoplasma; Mycoplasma Infections; Mycoplasma pneumoniae
PubMed: 37888919
DOI: 10.1056/NEJMicm2305301 -
Research in Veterinary Science Aug 2017Mycoplasmas of humans and animals are usually associated with respiratory, autoimmune, genital and joint diseases. Human mycoplasmas have also been known to affect the... (Review)
Review
Mycoplasmas of humans and animals are usually associated with respiratory, autoimmune, genital and joint diseases. Human mycoplasmas have also been known to affect the brain. Severe central nervous system (CNS) diseases, such as encephalitis, have been linked to Mycoplasma pneumoniae and ureaplasma infections. Less well known is the sheep and goat pathogen, Mycoplasma agalactiae, which has been found in large quantities in the brain where it may be responsible for non-purulent encephalitis as well as ataxia in young animals. Experimental intra-mammary infections of sheep with this mycoplasma have resulted in histopathological changes in the CNS. The cattle pathogen, M. bovis, has been reported occasionally in the brains of calves and adult cattle showing a range of histopathological lesions including abscesses and fibrinous meningitis. Two avian pathogens, M. gallisepticum and M. synoviae have been isolated from the brains of poultry showing meningeal vasculitis and encephalitis. There have been no reported detections of two other avian pathogens, M. meleagridis or M. iowae in the CNS. Over the last few decades, mycoplasmas have been isolated from the brains of sea mammals dying in large numbers in the North Sea although it was concluded that their role may be secondary to underlying viral disease. Finally, evidence has been advanced that certain Spiroplasma species may have a role in the development of the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE). Invasion of the brain by mycoplasmas may be as a result of direct entry following damage to the inner ear as seen with M. bovis or across the blood brain barrier by mechanisms as yet uncertain.
Topics: Animals; Animals, Wild; Livestock; Mycoplasma; Mycoplasma Infections; Poultry
PubMed: 28889017
DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2017.09.006 -
Genes Jul 2020Bacteria of the genus are characterized by the lack of a cell-wall, the use of UGA as tryptophan codon instead of a universal stop, and their simplified metabolic... (Review)
Review
Bacteria of the genus are characterized by the lack of a cell-wall, the use of UGA as tryptophan codon instead of a universal stop, and their simplified metabolic pathways. Most of these features are due to the small-size and limited-content of their genomes (580-1840 Kbp; 482-2050 CDS). Yet, the genus encompasses over 200 species living in close contact with a wide range of animal hosts and man. These include pathogens, pathobionts, or commensals that have retained the full capacity to synthesize DNA, RNA, and all proteins required to sustain a parasitic life-style, with most being able to grow under laboratory conditions without host cells. Over the last 10 years, comparative genome analyses of multiple species and strains unveiled some of the dynamics of mycoplasma genomes. This review summarizes our current knowledge of genomic islands (GIs) found in mycoplasmas, with a focus on pathogenicity islands, integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs), and prophages. Here, we discuss how GIs contribute to the dynamics of mycoplasma genomes and how they participate in the evolution of these minimal organisms.
Topics: Animals; Evolution, Molecular; Genome, Bacterial; Genomic Islands; Humans; Mycoplasma
PubMed: 32707922
DOI: 10.3390/genes11080836