Antibodies Mycoplasma pneumoniae IgA, IgG, IgM

Mycoplasma testing is primarily used to help determine if Mycoplasma pneumoniae is the cause of a respiratory tract infection. It may also be used to help diagnose a systemic infection that is thought to be due to mycoplasma.

Two types of antibodies produced in response to an M. pneumoniae infection may be measured in the blood, IgM and IgG. IgM antibodies are the first to be produced by the body in response to infection. Levels of IgM rise for a short time period and then decline, often remaining detectable in the blood for several months. IgG antibody production follows IgM production, rising over time, and then stabilizing.

Once a person has had a mycoplasma infection, they will typically have some measurable amount of mycoplasma IgG antibody in their blood for the rest of their life. In order to diagnose an active M. pneumoniae infection, a health practitioner may order both M. pneumoniae IgM and IgG antibody tests as acute samples and then collect another M. pneumoniae IgG test two to four weeks later as a convalescent sample. This combination of tests is ordered so that the change in the amount of IgG can be evaluated and because some people, especially infants and those with compromised immune systems, may not produce expected amounts of IgG or IgM.

Sample of blood serum

We perform the test every Tuesday & Friday