Prevention

Help protect yourself and others from Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection by practicing good hand hygiene.

People can get infected with Mycoplasma pneumoniae more than once. While there is no vaccine to prevent M. pneumoniae infections, there are things people can do to protect themselves and others.

Good hygiene

Like many respiratory germs, Mycoplasma pneumoniae most commonly spread by coughing and sneezing. Some tips to prevent the spread of M. pneumoniae include:

• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
• Put your used tissue in a waste basket.
• If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve or elbow, not your hands.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.

Preventive antibiotics

Doctors generally do not prescribe antibiotics to help prevent someone else from getting sick (for example, a close contact of an infected person).