Mycoplasma pneumonia, an atypical pneumonia that commonly causes community-acquired pneumonia, can induce extrapulmonary manifestations at different sites, such as the central nervous system, skin, and gastrointestinal tract. These extrapulmonary manifestations can present without respiratory symptoms, making the diagnosis challenging. Herein, we report the case of a 26-year-old woman who presented with polyarthritis following fever and gastrointestinal symptoms. At the time of examination, mycoplasma pneumonia had spread in the community, which led to the diagnosis. Her polyarthritis improved one week after the administration of an antibiotic and a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. Understanding the prevalence of infectious diseases in the community can help in the diagnosis of uncommon presentations based on symptoms, such as the acute onset of polyarthritis, that may be caused by an infectious disease.
Yoshino et al. (Thu,) studied this question.