Rapid diagnosis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae in children with pneumonia by an immuno-chromatographic antigen assay.
Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a particularly important pathogen that causes community acquired pneumonia in children. In this study, a rapid test was developed to diagnose M. pneumoniae by using a colloidal gold-based immuno-chromatographic assay which targets a region of the P1 gene. 302 specimens were analyzed by the colloidal gold assay in parallel with real-time PCR. Interestingly, the colloidal gold assay allowed M. pneumoniae identification, with a detection limit of 1 × 10(3) copies/ml. 76 samples were found to be positive in both real-time PCR and the colloidal gold assay; two specimens positive in real-time PCR were negative in the rapid colloidal gold assay. The specificity and sensitivity of the colloidal gold assay were 100% and 97.4%, respectively. These findings indicate that the newly developed immuno-chromatographic antigen assay is a rapid, sensitive and specific method for identifying M. pneumoniae, with potential clinical application in the early diagnosis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection.
Department of Laboratory, Children's Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, P.R. China.
Wei
W
Li
Department of Laboratory, Children's Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, P.R. China.
Yujie
Y
Liu
Department of Laboratory, Children's Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, P.R. China.
Yun
Y
Zhao
Department of Laboratory, Children's Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, P.R. China.
Ran
R
Tao
Hangzhou Genesis Biodetection &Biocontrol Ltd, Hangzhou 310018, P.R. China.
Yonggang
Y
Li
Department of Laboratory, Children's Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, P.R. China.
Shiqiang
S
Shang
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002846:Chromatography, Affinity / Q000379:methods*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009177:Mycoplasma pneumoniae / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D011019:Pneumonia, Mycoplasma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D006046:Gold