COMPARISON OF NASOPHARYNGEAL AND THROAT SWABS FOR THE DETECTION OF CHLAMYDIA-PNEUMONIAE AND MYCOPLASMA-PNEUMONIAE BY POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION

Nasopharyngeal and throat swabs taken from 66 patients presenting at t he Department of Infectious Disease with symptoms of upper and lower r espiratory tract infection mere analysed by use of the polymerase chai n reaction (PCR) for Chlamydia pneumoniae and Mycoplasma pneumoniae. A total of 18 patients (27%) were positive by PCR for C. pneumoniae. Al l 18 patients were positive from throat swabs, and three were also pos itive from nasopharyngeal specimens. The difference between the outcom e of PCR using throat and nasopharyngeal swabs was statistically signi ficant. A total of 7 patients (10.6%) were positive for M. pneumoniae and of these, 6 were positive from throat swabs and 2 were positive fr om nasopharyngeal swabs. This difference was not statistically signifi cant, probably due to the low numbers of positive patient specimens.