title: Simultaneous Detection of Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Mycoplasma hominis and Mycoplasma arthritidis in Synovial Fluid of Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis by Multiplex PCR.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It has been recognized that infectious agents, such as different bacteria and viruses, may play a role in the developing of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Recently, the mycoplasma species has been implicated in the pathogenesis of RA.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to design a multiplex PCR for rapid and simultaneous detection of Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Mycoplasma hominis, and Mycoplasma arthritidis in the synovial fluid of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 131 synovial fluid (SF) samples from patients with RA were assayed. Mycoplasma pneumoniae (ATCC: 29342), M. hominis (native strain), and the synthetic complete genome of M. arthritidis mitogen (MAM) superantigen were used as controls. All SF samples were subjected to DNA extraction separately and multiplex PCR was performed. The PCR products were confirmed by sequencing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The designed multiplex PCR was able to detect M. pneumoniae, M. hominis, and M. arthritidis in the SF of patients with RA with a frequency of 30 (22.9%), 23 (17.5%) and 13 (9.9%), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, the overall detection of the Mycoplasma species in RA patients was 53.4%; thus, we recommend the application of multiplex PCR assays when searching for a specific anti mycoplasma treatment for RA patients.
authors.affiliation: 1)Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 2)Health Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. ataee216@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ramezan Ali
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Ataee
authors.affiliation: 1)Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.4)Molecular Biology Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Golmohammadi
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Gholam Hossein
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Alishiri
authors.affiliation: Molecular Biology Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mirnejad
authors.affiliation: Molecular Biology Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Najafi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Davood
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Esmaeili
authors.affiliation: Health Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Nematollah
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jonaidi-Jafari
mesh_terms: D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060885:Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction; D045645:Mycoplasma arthritidis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D019535:Mycoplasma hominis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009177:Mycoplasma pneumoniae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D017421:Sequence Analysis; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000382:microbiology*