Mycoplasma testing is primarily used to help determine if Mycoplasma pneumoniae is the cause of a respiratory tract infection. It may also be used to help diagnose a systemic infection that is thought to be due to mycoplasma.

Should I test for mycoplasma?

Routine testing for Mycoplasma genitalium infection in asymptomatic people is not recommended. Although M. genitalium can cause urethritis, cervicitis or pelvic inflammatory disease, evidence suggests that most people with M. genitalium infection are asymptomatic and do not develop complications.

What is special about mycoplasma?

Mycoplasmas are the smallest self-replicating organisms with the smallest genomes (a total of about 500 to 1000 genes); they are low in guanine and cytosine. Mycoplasmas are nutritionally very exacting. Many require cholesterol, a unique property among prokaryotes.