Viz-Lasheras, SandraSandraViz-LasherasGómez-Carballa, AlbertoAlbertoGómez-CarballaBello, XabierXabierBelloRivero-Calle, IreneIreneRivero-CalleDacosta, Ana IsabelAna IsabelDacostaKaforou, MyrsiniMyrsiniKaforouHabgood-Coote, DominicDominicHabgood-CooteCunnington, Aubrey JAubrey JCunningtonEmonts, MariekeMariekeEmontsHerberg, Jethro AJethro AHerbergWright, Victoria JVictoria JWrightCarrol, Enitan DEnitan DCarrolPaulus, Stephane CStephane CPaulusZenz, WernerWernerZenzKohlfürst, Daniela SDaniela SKohlfürstSchweintzger, NinaNinaSchweintzgerVan der Flier, MichielMichielVan der Flierde Groot, RonaldRonaldde GrootSchlapbach, Luregn JLuregn JSchlapbachAgyeman, PhilippPhilippAgyeman0000-0002-8339-5444Pollard, Andrew JAndrew JPollardFink, ColinColinFinkKuijpers, Taco TTaco TKuijpersAnderson, SuzanneSuzanneAndersonVon Both, UlrichUlrichVon BothPokorn, MarkoMarkoPokornZavadska, DaceDaceZavadskaTsolia, MaríaMaríaTsoliaMoll, Henriëtte AHenriëtte AMollVermont, ClementienClementienVermontLevin, MichaelMichaelLevinMartinón-Torres, FedericoFedericoMartinón-TorresSalas, AntonioAntonioSalas2025-02-042025-02-042025-01-15https://boris-portal.unibe.ch/handle/20.500.12422/203178Mycoplasma pneumoniae causes atypical pneumonia in children and young adults. Its lack of a cell wall makes it resistant to beta-lactams, which are the first-line treatment for typical pneumonia. Current diagnostic tests are time-consuming and have low specificity, leading clinicians to administer empirical antibiotics. Using a LASSO regression simulation approach and blood microarray data from 107 children with pneumonia (including 30 M. pneumoniae) we identify eight different transcriptomic signatures, ranging from 3-10 transcripts, that differentiate mycoplasma pneumonia from other bacterial/viral pneumonias with high accuracy (AUC: 0.84-0.95). Additionally, we demonstrate that existing signatures for broadly distinguishing viral/bacterial infections and viral/bacterial pneumonias are ineffective in distinguishing M. pneumoniae from viral pneumonia. The new signatures are successfully validated in an independent RNAseq cohort of children with pneumonia, demonstrating their robustness. The high sensibility of these signatures presents a valuable opportunity to guide the treatment and management of M. pneumoniae pneumonia patients.en600 - Technology::610 - Medicine & healtharticle10.48620/851453980974810.1038/s41467-025-55932-9