Nor will they stain with the usual diagnostic Gram's stain. They can assume different shapes mimicking other bacteria. Mycoplasma spreads person to person by minute infectious droplets, and infects the respiratory tract from sinuses and ears to the depths of the lung. Children over 5, adolescents and young adults are the prime targets. The elderly are involved as a gift from their grandchildren.
Cases occur sporadically.
The patient has a cold, cough without much sputum, a temperature of 101 F, muscle aches and feels weak and miserable. Sinusitis occurs in half. Untreated it lasts 3 weeks followed by weakness. The interval between contact cases is 3 weeks. The disease forms unusual antibodies.