Word: mycoplasmas
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Actually, one common form of "viral" pneumonia is caused by an organism that is neither a bacterium nor a virus. Known as Mycoplasma pneumoniae, or the "Eaton agent" (named for its discoverer), it is the smallest free-living agent capable of infecting man. The microbe is best known for downing whole barracks or dormitories of victims at a time. One of the few advantages of having Mycoplasma pneumonia is that, like the bacterial forms, it is susceptible to attack by antibiotics...
When Dr. Walter R. Tkach, Nixon's personal physician since 1969, concluded that his patient was suffering from viral pneumonia, he knew that it might take several days for lab tests to determine whether the infecting agent was Mycoplasma or a true virus. He decided to administer an antibiotic immediately on the theory that it might help. Though Tkach declined to identify the medicine, it was probably erythromycin or one of the tetracyclines, which are frequently prescribed for Mycoplasma pneumonia. From X rays, he concluded that only the lower lobe of Nixon's right lung was inflamed...
...Microbiologists refer to a single PPLO as a mycoplasma, then have trouble deciding whether the plural should be mycoplasmas or mycoplasmata...