Mycoplasma salivarium

Mycoplasma salivarium is a species of bacteria in the genus Mycoplasma. This genus of bacteria lacks a cell wall around their cell membrane.[1] Without a cell wall, they are unaffected by many common antibiotics such as penicillin or other beta-lactam antibiotics that target cell wall synthesis. Mycoplasma are the smallest bacterial cells yet discovered,[2] can survive without oxygen and are typically about 0. 1  μm in diameter. Mycoplasma salivarium is found in the mouths of 97% of the healthy population,[3] and is generally considered to be a commensal organism and part of the normal oral flora.

Mycoplasma salivarium has, however, been implicated in eye and ear disorders, oral infection, septic arthritis and periodontal disease.[4] This species has been isolated from synovial fluid from patients with chronic arthritis and from primates.[5] It has been recovered from a biliary stent.[6] It also was recovered from the pleural cavity of a hospitalized man who did not respond to the normal treatment of conventional antibiotics.[7] And it has been cultured from brain abscesses.[8] It has also been recently identified as a common finding in patients with ventilator-acquired pneumonia, a severe infection which can occur in patients in the intensive care unit,[9] and it may play a role in dampening down the immune response to other pathogens so allowing opportunistic infection to develop.[10]

The type strain is ATCC 23064 = IFO (now NBRC) 14478 = NCTC 10113.[11]