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Mycoplasma pneumoniae is one of the most common causes of upper respiratory infections and pneumonia in children and young adults. When extrapulmonary events arise during presumed Mycoplasma infection, determining whether such events are caused by Mycoplasma or are occurring coincidentally is difficult.
In Rhode Island, an outbreak of pneumonia involving 76 children and four schools occurred during the fall and winter of 2006–2007. Forty-seven cases (62%) were clinically confirmed; 29 (38%) were radiographically confirmed. In addition, three children (1 of whom died) were diagnosed with encephalitis or encephalomyelitis. Cultures and real-time PCR analysis for detection of multiple pathogens were conducted on upper respiratory specimens, an…