Mycoplasma Genitalium Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance
Summary
Mycoplasma genitalium is a sexually transmitted bacterium implicated in urethritis in men and cervicitis, pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility in women. Its diminutive genome and lack of a cell wall render it intrinsically resistant to β-lactam antibiotics, placing reliance on macrolides and fluoroquinolones for effective treatment. In recent years, the global spread of macrolide-resistance-associated mutations in the 23S rRNA gene and fluoroquinolone-resistance mutations in the parC and gyrA genes has severely undermined first- and second-line therapies. Molecular diagnostics, especially nucleic acid amplification tests combined with resistance genotyping, are central to guiding patient management. Surveillance of resistance patterns and development of new antimicrobial strategies are imperative to curb treatment failures and limit onward transmission.
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Mycoplasma Genitalium Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in mycoplasma genitalium infections and antimicrobial resistance across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Mycoplasma genitalium: A cell-wall-deficient bacterium causing non-gonococcal urethritis, cervicitis and pelvic inflammatory disease.
Macrolides: A class of antibiotics targeting bacterial protein synthesis by binding to the 50S ribosomal subunit; includes azithromycin and josamycin.
Fluoroquinolones: Broad-spectrum antibiotics that inhibit bacterial DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV enzymes; includes moxifloxacin and sitafloxacin.
Resistance-associated mutation (RAM): A genetic change in a target gene (such as 23S rRNA, parC or gyrA) that reduces antibiotic binding and confers drug resistance.
Nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT): A molecular diagnostic method that amplifies specific DNA or RNA sequences to detect pathogen presence and can incorporate resistance genotyping.
References
- Estimation of antimicrobial resistance of Mycoplasma genitalium, Belgium, 2022. Eurosurveillance (2024).
- Outcomes of Resistance-guided Sequential Treatment of Mycoplasma genitalium Infections: A Prospective Evaluation. Clinical Infectious Diseases (2018).
- Increasing Macrolide and Fluoroquinolone Resistance in Mycoplasma genitalium - Volume 23, Number 5—May 2017 - Emerging Infectious Diseases journal - CDC. Emerging Infectious Diseases (2017).
- Management of Mycoplasma genitalium infections – can we hit a moving target?. BMC Infectious Diseases (2015).
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