Experience with newer techniques for the laboratory detection of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection: Adelaide, 1978-1992.
Efforts to improve laboratory diagnostic methods for infection due to Mycoplasma pneumoniae have involved the use of a cell-sheet culture method and a modified indirect hemagglutination method for IgM antibody, while direct detection of mycoplasma has employed antigen capture-enzyme immunoassay (Ag-EIA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of sequences within the P1 and 16S ribosomal RNA genes and quantification of the amplified DNA by dot blot hybridization (DBH). Cell-sheet culture was slightly more sensitive and more rapid than culture with cell-free diphasic medium. Indirect hemagglutination detection of IgM antibody to M. pneumoniae was more sensitive than CF and EIA for detection of IgM antibody to mycoplasma. Ag-EIA gave a rapid and reasonably sensitive indication of infection and correlated well with a serological response of patients indicating a current infection. PCR-DBH was a highly sensitive substitute for culture of mycoplasma. Both Ag-EIA and PCR-DBH require confirmation by assessment of serological response to verify that the infection is current and that positive results of PCR-DBH, in particular, are not the result of continuing carriage of the organism from a previous infection, unrelated to the current episode under investigation.
Department of Pathology, University of Adelaide, South Australia.
B P
BP
Marmion
J
J
Williamson
D A
DA
Worswick
T W
TW
Kok
R J
RJ
Harris
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques / Q000379:methods; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D006386:Hemagglutination Tests; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D009177:Mycoplasma pneumoniae / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D011019:Pneumonia, Mycoplasma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial