Some mycoplasma belong to the normal flora and can exist in the oral cavity and gut without causing problems. Baseman and Tully (1997) explain that a mycoplasma infection may be contracted early in childhood. Then, depending upon genetic predisposition, it may enter certain cells and lay dormant for 10, 20 or 30 years. The mycoplasma is a slow-growing, stealth-type organism. Once inside the body, it can initially activate the immune system, and then successfully hide from it within the host's own immune cells. Consequently, the immune system is overactive but ineffective. Mycoplasma can then circulate throughout the body while inside a white blood cell and go wherever a white blood cell can go. Once it reaches a distant site, it can emerge from the white blood cell and invade another type of cell. It can cause infection deep within any or all organs. It can even cross the blood/brain barrier and cause brain and spinal infection. Mycoplasmas have also been known to cross the placental barrier to an unborn fetus. The authors further explain that if a trauma occurs such as an accident, severe stress or a vaccination, the mycoplasma can become triggered and reactivate.

Data from a recent study indicated that pathogenic mycoplasmas reside and replicate intracellularly over extended periods in human cells ( Dallo, & Baseman, 2000) The reactivated organism then grows slowly using a very low metabolic activity similar to hibernation (Razin & Tully, 1995) . Periodically, the organisms become more active and then again go into a resting phase with low metabolism. This slow growth pattern of the mycoplasma organism contributes to the chronic nature of the illness and the difficulty in diagnosis. Dallo and Baseman (2000) also demonstrated that the mycoplasma may be able to circumvent conventional antibiotic therapy and immune surveillance to establish chronic infections.

Mycoplasmas grow intracellularly by up-taking cholesterol from host cells. In the process, the cell ruptures and its remains, including a piece of the cell membrane attached to the mycoplasma, is dumped into the bloodstream, causing an autoimmune reaction (Baseman & Tully, 1997). When the immune system attacks the mycoplasma, it also gets “turned on” to attacking the host cell membrane. Autoimmune conditions associated with mycoplasmas include arthritis, Fibromyalgia, myositis, thyroid dysfunction (Hashimoto’s or Grave’s Diseases), adrenal dysfunction, signs and symptoms of Lupus, Multiple Sclerosis, and Lou Gehrig’s Disease (Nicolson, 1998)

(Created 6/10/05 by Sharon Briggs)