COMPARISON OF POLYMERASE-CHAIN-REACTION ASSAY WITH CULTURE FOR DETECTION OF GENITAL MYCOPLASMAS IN PERINATAL INFECTIONS

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique was compared with cultur e for the detection of Ureaplasma urealyticum, Mycoplasma hominis, and Mycoplasma genitalium in clinical samples (vaginal secretions, throat and endotracheal secretions, and skin swabs) obtained from 47 high-ri sk pregnant women peripartum and eight newborn infants. Detection usin g PCR with homologous primers was highly specific, as a product with t he expected length was consistently amplified with homologous but not with heterologous species. The limit of detection of the PCR assay was 10 color-changing units (CCU) of Mycoplasma strains. The PCR techniqu e facilitated detection of Ureaplasma urealyticum DNA in 31 of 55 pati ents studied, of Mycoplasma hominis in seven samples, and of Mycoplasm a genitalium in two samples. Four PCR-positive patients yielded cultur e-negative results. In one case a culture-positive sample was negative by PCR. The results show that PCR is a valuable tool for rapid detect ion of genital mycoplasmas in clinical samples. It is fast, sensitive, specific, and easy to perform, requiring minimal preparation of the c linical sample.