APPLICATION OF A MYCOPLASMA GROUP-SPECIFIC PCR FOR MONITORING DECONTAMINATION OF MYCOPLASMA-INFECTED CHLAMYDIA SP STRAINS

Mycoplasma contamination of biological materials remains a major probl em, Most contaminations are caused by the use of Mycoplasma-contaminat ed cell lines, We adapted a Mycoplasma group-specific PCR to detect My coplasma contamination in cell lines and demonstrate its use in monito ring decontamination procedures with Mycoplasma-contaminated suspensio ns of Chlamydia spp. Three different methods were investigated: the us e of Mycoplasma-specific antiserum in cell culture, physical separatio n by the combined use of enzymatic treatment and differential centrifu gation, and the use of detergents. With these methods only incubation with Triton X-100 resulted in decontamination of Mycoplasma-contaminat ed suspensions of several laboratory strains of Chlamydia pneumoniae, C. pecorum, and C. trachomatis. Only one C. pneumnoniae strain, UZG-1, was sensitive to Triton X-100 treatment, Since 39 of 40 throat swabs from patients with symptoms of an upper respiratory tract infection ha d positive reactions in the Mycoplasma group-specific PCR, this proced ure could also have clinical significance in attempts to propagate C. pneumoniae strains from clinical specimens.