Laboratory Diagnosis of Mycoplasma Pneumoniae Infection

In man M. pneumoniae most often causes a primary atypical pneumonia. The serum of many patients so afflicted will quickly show positive cold agglutinin and complement-fixation tests. Although nonspecific, these tests are rapid. Laboratories can also culture organisms from throat swabs and sputum in special mediums, but growth takes at least seven days and sometimes six weeks.