Tiniest cells causing big misery in young and old
An infection that previously was mostly seen in children, over the past 15 years has been showing up more frequently in older adults. With its extended incubation period (2-4 weeks), it is difficult to diagnose, and capable of emerging as bronchitis or pneumonia. And it is caused by the smallest free-living organisms — Mycoplasma pneumoniae — that were originally thought to be viruses, but have been shown to be bacteria. Unlike most bacteria they lack a cell wall and are…