Mycoplasma pneumoniae causing familial infection and acute severe respiratory failure

Mycoplasma pneumoniae usually causes only mild respiratory disease. Severe respiratory failure associated with bronchiolitis is extremely unusual. We describe an in-family spread of M. pneumoniae infection. The father, a 28-year-old smoker male with no previous medical history developed acute bronchiolitis with severe respiratory failure due to M. pneumoniae. He recovered after treatment with combination of antibiotics and corticosteroids. The patient's 55-year-old mother and 2-year-old daughter developed mycoplasma pneumonia, while his 25-year-old wife developed an upper respiratory tract infection. They were also treated successfully with macrolides.