Micro 33: Mycoplasma

Clinical Deep Dives · Feb 21, 2026 · 34m

This episode explores Mycoplasma, the smallest free-living bacteria and uniquely defined by the absence of a cell wall. Drawing from Murray’s Chapter 33, it examines how structural minimalism reshapes both pathogenesis and therapy.

Without peptidoglycan, Mycoplasma species are intrinsically resistant to beta-lactam antibiotics and exhibit pleomorphic morphology. Their sterol-rich cell membranes provide flexibility and resilience, allowing close adherence to respiratory and urogenital epithelium.

The primary clinical focus is Mycoplasma pneumoniae, a common cause of atypical pneumonia. Rather…