What does Mycoplasma mean

Mycoplasma and Chlamydia infection in women is a very common disease, which is generally transmitted through sexual intercourse. It can cause various diseases and have serious consequences for women's health. However, many women do not know much about mycoplasma and chlamydia, which is not conducive to the prevention and treatment of the disease. So, what does Mycoplasma spp. mean? Let’s take a look below.

Mycoplasma and Chlamydia are organisms that are widely present in nature. It is not surprising to find Mycoplasma and Chlamydia in the human body. When the human immunity is reduced, they may multiply and cause disease.

Morphology and structure

Mycoplasma: The diameter is 0.2~0.3um, the structure is relatively simple, most of them are spherical, without cell wall, only three-layer cell membrane, so it has greater variability.

Chlamydia: The diameter is only 0.3-0.5um, mostly spherical or heap-shaped, with a similar cell wall structure, containing DNA, RNA and ribosomes. Chlamydia exists in two forms, called protomers and protomers. The protozoa are infectious and are non-motile spherical cells. The protomer gradually elongates to form a non-infectious individual called the protosome, which is a thin-walled spherical cell with a larger body.

Pathogenic mechanism

Pathogenic mechanism of Chlamydia: It can inhibit the metabolism of infected cells, dissolve and destroy cells and lead to the release of lytic enzymes, the cytotoxic effect of metabolites, and cause allergic reactions and autoimmunity.

Pathogenic mechanism of mycoplasma: It does not invade the body's tissues and blood, but adheres to and settles in the epithelial cells of the respiratory tract or urogenital tract, causing cell damage through different mechanisms, such as acquiring lipids and cholesterol on the cell membrane to cause membrane damage, releasing neurotoxins, phosphatases, and hydrogen peroxide, etc.

Mode of transmission

The source of infection of non-gonococcal urethritis is the patient, and it is mainly transmitted through sexual relations. Like other sexually transmitted diseases, it is prone to occur in young and middle-aged people during their sexually active period. If one spouse becomes ill, it is easy to infect the other. Pregnant women infected with chlamydia or mycoplasma can infect their newborns during delivery.

Mode of transmission:

① Direct sexual contact infection, when having sexual intercourse with a patient with non-gonococcal urethritis.

② Indirect contact infection, using clothes, bedding, towels, bathtubs, flush toilets, etc. used by patients with non-gonococcal urethritis.

③Birth canal infection. Mothers with non-gonococcal urethritis can infect their newborns through the birth canal. In addition, the fingers of obstetricians and gynecologists and mothers are also an important way to bring pathogens to newborns. When the fetal membranes are intact, mycoplasma can be isolated from the amniotic fluid, placenta and fetal blood, proving that the fetus can also be infected in utero.