Simple method for determining biovar and serovar types of Ureaplasma urealyticum clinical isolates using PCR-single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis

Ureaplasma urealyticum has been associated with urethritis in men, obstetri c problems in women, and respiratory distress syndrome in preterm infants. U. urealyticum can be divided into two biovars comprising 14 serovars. Part ial sequences of genes encoding the multiple-banded antigens of the cell su rface are known. Using a commercially available precast DNA mutation detect ion gel system, we have developed a simple and reproducible PCR-single-stra nd conformation polymorphism analysis method for differentiating the biovar s of this species that reveals five patterns among the 14 serovars and enab les clinical isolates to be typed directly from broth cultures.