RAPID DETECTION AND BIOVAR DIFFERENTIATION OF UREAPLASMA-UREALYTICUM IN CLINICAL SPECIMENS BY PCR

On the basis of the nucleotide sequence of the multiple-banded (MB) an tigen genes of Ureaplasma urealyticum, a polymerase chain reaction (PC R) technique was developed for rapid detection and biovar differentiat ion of U. urealyticum in a total of 100 urogenital specimens fr om 50 female patients. Positive PCR UM-1 amplification was found in 28 cervi cal swabs and 31 urine samples. Overall agreement between PCR and cult ure was 95%. Members of the two biovars of U urealyticum could be dist inguished by the size of the PCR UM-l amplification products. Biovar d ifferentiation was also demonstrated by two additional sets of PCRs: P CR UM-2 and UM-3. The PCR UM-2 was used to amplify biovar 1, while PCR UM-3 amplified biovar 2 specifically. The results indicated that use of the MB antigen gene as a target for PCR amplification could provide rapid and specific detection and biotyping of ureaplasma DNA in uroge nital samples.