DETECTION OF MYCOPLASMA-PNEUMONIAE IN THE AIRWAYS OF ADULTS WITH CHRONIC ASTHMA

Infection with Mycoplasma pneumoniae has been shown to exacerbate asth ma in humans. However, the role of M. pneumoniae in the pathogenesis o f chronic asthma has not been defined. Eighteen asthmatics with chroni c, stable asthma and 11 nonasthmatic control subjects underwent evalua tion of the upper and lower airways and serologic analysis to determin e the presence of M, pneumoniae, Chlamydia pneumoniae, and seven respi ratory viruses through culture, enzyme-linked immunoassay (EIA) and po lymerase chain reaction (PCR). M. pneumoniae was detected by PCR in 10 of 18 asthmatics and one of 11 control subjects (p = 0.02). In nine o f the 10 patients, the organism was detected in bronchoalveolar lavage or bronchial biopsies. Seven of 18 asthmatics and one of 11 control s ubjects were also positive for M. fermentans and M. genitalium by PCR. All patients' cultures, EIAs, and serology were negative for M. pneum oniae. All PCR and cultures were negative for C. pneumoniae, and all E IAs for respiratory viruses were negative in all subjects. Nine asthma tics and one control subject exhibited positive serology for C. pneumo niae (p = 0.05). M. pneumoniae was present in the lower airways of chr onic, stable asthmatics with greater frequency than control subjects, and may play a role in the pathogenesis of chronic asthma.