Introduction and objective:
Mycoplasmosis is a disease caused by mycoplasmas. Mycoplasmas are gram-negative, pleomorphic cells measuring 1.0–2.0 × 0.1–0.2 µm. They do not have a cell wall, only a three-layer membrane containing sterols. Mycoplasmas are common in nature. In humans, they are part of the oral bacterial flora. The species Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Mycoplasma hominis are considered pathogenic to humans.

Brief description of the state of knowledge:
Mycoplasma pneumoniae causes primarily infections of the respiratory system: the upper respiratory tract (pharyngitis, laryngitis, trachea), and lower respiratory tract (acute bronchitis, bronchiolitis, lung inflammation). It occurs in children and adults. One of the most serious complications of infection concerns the nervous system in the form of encephalitis, meningitis, polyneuritis and acute psychosis. Lung infections caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae are often accompanied by skin lesions such as erythema nodosum and erythema multiforme. Manifestations from musculoskeletal system, heart, kidney and eye are also often seen in the course of mycoplasmosis.

Summary:
In the diagnosis of infections caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae, various methods are used to either detect the microorganism in a sample of clinical material or to demonstrate a significant level or dynamics of antibodies specific for this pathogen. These include culture methods, serological tests, and molecular techniques (PCR).