Seroprevalence of Mycoplasma pneumoniae in HIV-infected patients using a microparticle agglutination test.
Mycoplasma pneumoniae is increasingly recognized as a common and important pathogen in community settings, and is responsible for various pulmonary and extrapulmonary conditions in the normal population. However, the seroepidemiology of acute M. pneumoniae infection in HIV-infected individuals is still unclear worldwide. This study examined the seroprevalence of antibodies to M. pneumoniae in HIV-infected patients admitted with respiratory complaints at a tertiary AIDS care centre in Chennai, India. A commercial gelatin microparticle agglutination test (Serodia-Myco II, Fujirebio) was used for the determination of antibodies against M. pneumoniae in acute serum specimens. Of the 200 HIV-infected patients with underlying pulmonary conditions tested, 34 (17 % positivity; 95 % CI 12-23 %) had antibodies specific to M. pneumoniae, while among the 40 patients with no underlying pulmonary symptoms, five (12.5 % positivity; 95 % CI 4-27 %) had evidence of anti-M. pneumoniae antibody. This shows that the incidence of M. pneumoniae seropositivity is greater in patients with underlying pulmonary complaints. Most positive titres were found in the age group 28-37 years in the symptomatic and symptom-free groups (64.7 and 60 %, respectively). The positive titres ranged from 40 to >20 480. High titres (> or =320) were found in 10 out of the 39 patients (25.6 %). This seroprevalence study reports a 16.2 % prevalence of M. pneumoniae infections in HIV-infected patients by a particle agglutination test.
Shankar
Esaki Muthu
EM
Kumarasamy
Nagalingeswaran
N
Balakrishnan
Pachamuthu
P
Vengatesan
A
A
Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Government Stanley Medical College and Hospital, Chennai 600 113, India.
Kownhar
Hayath
H
Solomon
Suniti
S
Rao
Usha Anand
UA