Molecular comparison of Mycoplasma hominis strains isolated from colonizedwomen and women with various urogenital infections

Twenty Mycoplasma hominis strains isolated from colonized women and women w ith various urogenital infections were investigated for genetic and antigen ic homogeneity by different methods. Restriction fragment length polymorphi sm analysis demonstrated heterogeneity for all strains, with one exception. Two strains sequentially isolated from one patient showed identical patter ns. Otherwise, no clonal clustering could be detected within the strains is olated from either of the diagnostic groups. In contrast, SDS-PAGE analysis and the comparison of the immunoblot pattern revealed antigenic similariti es of strains isolated from patients with bacterial vaginosis, chorioamnion itis, premature rupture of membranes and preterm delivery as well as endome tritis but showed obvious differences in comparison ru strains isolated fro m colonized women.