[Symptoms and signs in diseases caused by mycoplasma pneumoniae in infants and small children (author's transl)].

In 12 children aged 8 month to 5 years (in the average 2,3 years), respiratory illness caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae, could be secured with microbiological methods (growth inhibition, cultivation). The most common clinical, roentgenological and laboratory signs are discussed. A disease from Mycoplasma pneumoniae should be assumed, when a child will begin to cough often with staccato attacks without apnoea at night and has temperature short time after adimission to a group. The findings by auscultation are small but the X-ray-picture is showing marked alterations. A precise diagnosis can be achieved only with microbiological examinations (serology or cultivation). When there are no symptoms and signs described above, the diseases caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae can be detected only if Mycoplasma serology has become a routine laboratory task in institutions for paediatric bronchopneumology.