16S RIBOSOMAL-RNA BASED POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION COMPARED WITH CULTURE AND SEROLOGICAL METHODS FOR DIAGNOSIS OF MYCOPLASMA-PNEUMONIAE INFECTION

The use of a 16S rRNA based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the de tection of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection was investigated. Sputum sa mples from 34 patients with respiratory illness and evidence of pneumo nia as judged by chest X-ray were analyzed by PCR and microbiological culture. Throat swabs from 14 healthy individuals were used as control s. For serology, an enzyme immunoassay for the detection of immunoglob ulin M antibodies and a complement fixation assay were performed. Evid ence of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection was obtained in ten patients ( 29 %), eight of whom were found positive by both PCR and serology. Two of the sputum samples from these eight patients were negative by cult ure. Of the remaining two patients positive for Mycoplasma pneumoniae, one was positive by PCR and culture but negative by serology, and one was found positive by serology but negative by PCR and culture. Thirt een of the 14 controls were negative by both PCR and serology. One con trol, however, was negative by serology but positive by PCR, which was probably due to asymptomatic carriage of Mycoplasma pneumoniae. The r esults of this study indicate the suitability of the PCR for the detec tion of Mycoplasma pneumoniae in clinical samples as well as its poten tial value as an additional tool for the diagnosis of infection.