Mycoplasma resists standard antibiotics and testing, making it one of the most chronically missed infections.
Mycoplasma is a class of bacteria that lack a cell wall, making them naturally resistant to many common antibiotics and notoriously difficult to identify on standard laboratory testing. Mycoplasma pneumoniae is the most well-known species, but several others can drive chronic illness across multiple body systems.
Symptoms are wide-ranging and non-specific, fatigue, joint pain, neurological symptoms, respiratory issues, cognitive difficulties, which makes Mycoplasma easy to overlook in a differential diagnosis. It is commonly found alongside Lyme disease and other co-infections in complex chronic illness presentations, and addressing it directly is often an important step in moving toward full recovery.
Mycoplasma is the smallest free-living and self-replicating species of bacteria that infects the human body. Unlike all other prokaryotes, mycoplasmas have no cell walls, which means they are naturally resistant to many antibiotics that target cell wall synthesis, and they are consequently difficult to detect if the infection is chronic.
Mycoplasma is highly pleomorphic, meaning that it does not have a fixed shape. This quality enables it to alter its shape and size for survival and to cross filters that are otherwise only permeable to viruses. Mycoplasmas have been nicknamed the 'crabgrass of cell cultures' because their infections are persistent, frequently difficult to detect and diagnose, and difficult to cure. According to a 2019 study, mycoplasma infects 82% of people with Lyme disease.
Chronic mycoplasma infections are seen throughout multiple chronic illnesses and differ significantly from acute infections such as 'walking pneumonia.' The immune system recognizes mycoplasma as a secondary threat as it prioritizes the microbes or toxins currently perceived to be most dangerous. Due to this, mycoplasma is an opportunistic infection, meaning it affects the body when it is suppressed by other microbes or toxins. Oftentimes, mycoplasma will make itself known when paired with primary threats like Lyme disease, mold exposure, parasites, or heavy metals.
Since mycoplasma does not have a cell wall and its shape shifts constantly, it may infect any part of the body, and because it is so small and shape-shifting, it is difficult to detect even with advanced testing.
Mycoplasma is also a documented trigger for PANS/PANDAS in children, as M. pneumoniae infections can cause abnormal signals in the basal ganglia, the brain structure responsible for motor control, executive functions, behaviors, and emotions. When paired with mold toxicities, mycoplasma and mold can cause severe immune reactions.
Because mycoplasma is so commonly found alongside Lyme disease and other co-infections, comprehensive panel testing, including the Vibrant Wellness Tickborne 2.0 Panel and consideration of OAT (Organic Acids Test), is recommended. Clinical history and pattern recognition play an essential role, and working with a practitioner who understands co-infection complexity is the recommended approach at Redefining Wellness Center.