" Mycoplasmas require specialized environments to be cultured. They grow well
at high-altitude/low-pressure conditions and will otherwise culture false-negative.
Only polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing, otherwise known as dna-amplification
or dna-probe is sensitive enough to ascertain mycoplasma infections reliably. A
positive test confirms the presence of live mycoplasma genome and active infection. "
" As well as testing for Mycoplasma infection it is advisable to also test for
Rickettsiae, Chlamydia, IL2 and IL6. "
" Mycoplasmas can cause numerous and various pathogenic mechanisms including
extragenital systemic infection, production of super antigens, abnormal stimulation of
cytokines such as interleukin-2,
generation of toxic oxygen radicals contributing to
oxidative stress observed in infected individuals (antioxidants can help), development
of lesions in the heart, liver, kidneys, and other organs,
induction of apoptosis (programmed cell death), aphthous ulcerations, thrombocytopenia,
central nervous
system disease, problems with cell-mediated immunity, and numerous other
destructive actions. "
" Mycoplasmas can target the host white blood cells (lymphocytes/WBC) for intracellular
infection, and these cells have the unique ability to cross the blood-brain barrier over into
the spinal fluid and thereby carry infection into the host central nervous system (CNS).
Once inside the CNS, mycoplasmas have been reported to activate the CNS
hypothalamus/pituitary/adrenal axis. "
" Mycoplasmas interact with the lymphoreticular system as they are immunomodulating
pathogens that can compromise cellular immunity (T-lymphocytes).
T-Suppressors (T8)
will move towards a high index when infected with mycoplasma hominis and T-Killers
(T3) will decrease due to mycoplasmosis. Natural killer cell function deteriorates as a
result of extended systemic mycoplasma infection. "
" The
antibody response may not be measurable during systemic mycoplasma infection
until a patient is nearing death. This is because
mycoplasmas can evade detection by
the immune system (and thereby cause a characteristically chronic illness) through
various mechanisms including antigenic surface variation and molecular mimicry. "
" Some mycoplasmas are being detected with unusual DNA sequences, such as the
HIV-1 envelope gene which codes for a surface glycoprotein,
gp120, involved in
pathogen attachment and entry into cells. "
If this is the case, then
EGCG, which blocks gp120, would be the supplement to take :
http://www.longecity...t-egcg-and-hiv/" The onset of mycoplasma infection can be
insidious and/or localized depending on
the particular mycoplasma subtype and isolate involved. "
* The chronic clinical picture can include
central nervous system disease .... "
* A
typical symptom of systemic mycoplasma infection, resulting from abnormal stimulation
of cytokines, involves a chronic red discoloration of the anterior pharyngeal pillars. Stand in
front of a mirror with your mouth open wide. Point a flash-light into the mirror so that the
beam reflects back into your pharynx.
On either side of your throat, behind the molars and
in front of the tonsils, the crescents may be an intense crimson color along the margins
of both pharyngeal pillars. In patients without tonsils, the crimson crescents would appear
further back. "
* Overcoming systemic mycoplasma infection will depend on the characteristics of the
specific mycoplasma involved, and many cases will respond to combined antibiotic/steroid
treatment, naturopathic treatment and avoidance of stress and certain foods. "
* Where a mycoplasma pathogen targets host white blood cells for infection, the disease
can initiate a vicious cycle of immunological dysregulation where the lymphocytes actually
start replicating and attacking themselves for being infected with the immunomodulating
mycoplasmas. In order to break the vicious cycle
combined antibiotic/steroid treatment
protocols can be used. "
" Chloramphenicol is a preferred antibiotics for treatment of systemic mycoplasma
infections. Other antibiotics that have demonstrated efficacy against extragenital
mycoplasma infections include
doxycycline, minocycline, zithromax (azithromycin),
rifampin (rifampicin, the TB drug), gentamicin, the lincosamides, trovafloxacin (
for M. hominis) and sparfloxacin. "
However, I would not prefer to use chloramphenicol due to a risk of aplastic anemia.
One of second/third generation quinolones such as ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin,
or macrolides like azithromycin, would be preferred.
"
Mycoplasma shares similar capabilities to viruses in that it can recode DNA and even
alter its own characteristics, which is why it is so compatible with viral proteins. "
"
Penicillins are contraindicated and will actually exacerbate the clinical picture since
mycoplasmas have no cell-wall. "
" In addition to their role between mycoplasma infection and the endocrine system,
some steroids suppress the production of white blood cells and thereby starve
some mycoplasmas. "
" Cholesterol and the amino acid
arginine (commonly found in chocolate) stimulate growth
of mycoplasmas and should be avoided, although Mycoplasma hominis characteristically
produces arginine so avoidance of arginine rich foods may not help in this case. "
The following common antibiotic protocols, all 6-week cycles repeated several times,
are mentioned :
Doxycycline, 200 mg a day
Ciprofloxacin, 1,500 mg a day
Azithromycin, 500 mg a day
http://home.goulburn.../mycoplasma.htm
