[Interest of gene amplification by PCR for the diagnosis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections in the child].
Between december 1996 and february 1998, rhinopharyngeal and tracheal aspirates from 165 children exhibiting symptoms compatible with M. pneumoniae infection were tested by a PCR method using in the same tube primers specific for M. pneumoniae P1 adhesin gene and for a human control gene. The positive cases were controlled using culture and/or serology. PCR was positive in 22 out of 165 samples (13.3%); an evaluation of the clinical and biological data was possible in 20 of these infected children. From 17 PCR positive respiratory samples tested by culture, 13 (76.5%) grew M. pneumoniae. From 14 serum specimens tested by ELISA, 12 exhibited specific IgM (3 of them with low titers); cold agglutinins were detected in all 7 tested sera. Only one case was not confirmed by any of the 3 former markers. The mean age of patients was 8.1 years. The main clinical symptoms included fever > 38 degrees C, cough, clinical and radiological pneumonia in 90, 95, 50 and 85% of cases, respectively. Neurological symptoms were the main clinical manifestation in 3 patients; another child exhibited a pneumonia associated to an hemophagocytic syndrome and a bone marrow failure which needed a graft. These results emphasize the value of PCR for the rapid diagnosis of M. pneumoniae infection in children.
Laboratoire de Bactériologie-Virologie, Hôpital Nord, CHU de Saint-Etienne, France.
F
F
Grattard
T
T
Bourlet
C
C
Galambrun
C
C
Berger
J L
JL
Stephan
B
B
Lauras
B
B
Pozzetto
D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D000293:Adolescent; D000373:Agglutinins / Q000097:blood; D000741:Anemia, Aplastic / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D001826:Body Fluids / Q000382:microbiology; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D001925:Brain Damage, Chronic / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003450:Cryoglobulins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D015616:Histiocytosis, Non-Langerhans-Cell / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009177:Mycoplasma pneumoniae / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011019:Pneumonia, Mycoplasma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000382:microbiology
D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial; D000373:Agglutinins; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D003450:Cryoglobulins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; C035471:adhesin, Mycoplasma pneumoniae; C029443:cold agglutinins
Intérêt de l'amplification génique par PCR pour le diagnostic des infections à Mycoplasma pneumoniae chez l'enfant.