title: [Value of fluorescence quantitative PCR assay of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid samples in the diagnosis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia in children].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the value of fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (FQ-PCR) for detecting Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP)-DNA in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in the early diagnosis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP).
  
  
  METHODS
  FQ-PCR was used to detect MP-DNA in BALF obtained by fiberoptic bronchoscopy from 61 children with MPP, and the sensitivity and the specificity of FQ-PCR were compared with the traditional serological test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sensitivity and the specificity of BALF FQ-PCR for detecting MP-DNA were 94% and 100% respectively. The accuracy of BALF FQ-PCR assay for detecting MP-DNA was higher than that of the serological test at the early stage of the disease (1-7 days) (P<0.01). In the children with refractory MPP, BALF FQ-PCR assay also showed higher accuracy for detecting MP-DNA than the serological test (P<0.01). The copies of MP-DNA in children with refractory MPP were significant higher than those in children with common MPP (P<0.05). The copies of MP-DNA were positively correlated with CRP values (r=0.845, P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FQ-PCR assay of BALF for detecting MP-DNA in BALF is superior to the serological test. It is a reliable method for the early diagnosis of MPP, especially refractory MPP. The copies of MP-DNA can be used as an index for evaluation of the treatment outcome of refractory MPP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital, Changsha 410005, China. hnzll000@gmail.com
authors.forename: Li-Li
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Han
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Mo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Qiong-Hua
authors.initials: QH
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000382:microbiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005453:Fluorescence; D018628:Gene Dosage; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011019:Pneumonia, Mycoplasma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial