Sunil Antony1 , Chris Philip Mathew2
BACKGROUND Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder which has many triggering factors. Mycoplasma pneumoniae has been found to be a cause of exacerbations and chronicity of asthma. The present study is undertaken to determine the prevalence of Mycoplasma pneumoniae in lower respiratory tract of adults with asthma by isolating the organism by sputum culture. METHODS Hundred patients of asthma were studied for Mycoplasma by sputum culture. Baseline investigations and assessment of severity of asthma by symptom score was done. RESULTS 18% of patients had Mycoplasma positive in sputum culture. There was statistically significant difference between the Mycoplasma positive and negative groups when the daytime symptoms were analysed. CONCLUSIONS Mycoplasma infection was associated with asthma patients. Parameters like daytime symptom score and eosinophil count showed statistically significant difference between the Mycoplasma positive and negative group, whereas age, sex, family history of asthma, X Ray PNS, Gram stain and Ig E levels did not show any statistically significant difference between the two groups.
