DETECTION AND ISOLATION OF MYCOPLASMA-FERMENTANS FROM URINE OF HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS TYPE-1-INFECTED PATIENTS

Mycoplasma fermentans (incognitus strain) has been linked with acquire d immunodeficiency syndrome-associated nephropathy. Ten (23%) of 43 ur ine sediment specimens from 40 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-posi tive patients at different stages of acquired immunodeficiency syndrom e disease tested positive in the polymerase chain reaction using a pri mer pair found in the insertion sequences specific to M fermentans. My coplasma fermentans was isolated from two HIV-positive patients' urine sediment specimens and on a repeated basis from one. All three cultur e-positive urine sediment specimens tested positive in the polymerase chain reaction. Fifty urine sediment specimens from age-matched HIV-ne gative healthy controls tested negative for M fermentans by polymerase chain reaction. Mycoplasma fermentans was not isolated from any of th e control urine sediment specimens. Our results show a high prevalence of M fermentans in urine sediment specimens from HIV-positive patient s but not from urine sediment specimens of HIV-negative healthy contro ls.