IDENTIFICATION OF MYCOPLASMAS IN URINE FROM PERSONS INFECTED WITH HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS

Voided urine samples from persons with and without human immunodeficie ncy virus (HIV) infection were examined for mycoplasmas. Mycoplasma ho minis organisms were identified in cultures of urine from 32 (18%) of 180 HIV-positive individuals and from 8 (21%) of 38 HIV-negative indiv iduals. In contrast, glucose-utilizing mycoplasmas were identified in the urine of 30 (17%) of the HIV-positive individuals and in none of t hose who were HIV-negative. Assays of growth inhibition around disks c ontaining specific antisera identified 14 of the 30 glucose-utilizing mycoplasmas as Mycoplasma fermentans. Four isolates were presumptively identified as Mycoplasma pirum. Growth on solid media was insufficien t to permit the identification of the species of the other 12 isolates by growth inhibition.