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Mycoplasma pneumonia historical perspective

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Overview

Mycoplasma pneumoniae was first described by Hobart A. Reimann in 1938 in a patient with a self-limited “atypical” pneumonia.

Historical Perspective

  • Mycoplasma pneumoniae was first described by Hobart A. Reimann in 1938 in a patient with a self-limited “atypical” pneumonia.[1]
  • In 1943, Reimann first described the phenomenon of cold agglutination.
  • The term Mycoplasma is Greek for “fungus-formed” because Mycoplasma was first thought to be a fungus.
  • In 1944, Eaton reported Eaton’s agent as the primary cause of atypical pneumonia.[2] In 1961, M. pneumoniae was discovered to be Eaton’s agent.

References

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