General description

Mycoplasma pneumoniae is commonly associated with pneumonia in children but can also lead to neurological symptoms such as encephalopathy/encephalitis, Guillain-Barre syndrome, and transverse myelitis. This discussion focuses on encephalopathy/encephalitis.

Encephalopathy/encephalitis related to Mycoplasma pneumoniae typically manifests within a few days to two weeks following the onset of respiratory symptoms. Parkinsonian symptoms may occur due to damage to the striatum. The majority of these lesions are reversible. Notably, cytokine production and autoimmune responses have been observed in association with this condition.