title: Underdiagnosing of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections as revealed by use of a respiratory multiplex PCR panel.
abstract: We compared a multiplex PCR diagnostic approach against specific PCR diagnosis for detection of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection. Seventy-five percent of all M. pneumoniae infections were only detected "unintentionally" by the use of the multiplex PCR indicating underdiagnosing of M. pneumoniae due to absence of clinical suspicion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; Translational Lung Research Center (TLRC), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Heidelberg, Germany. Electronic address: alexander.dalpke@med.uni-heidelberg.de.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dalpke
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zimmermann
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Virology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schnitzler
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008875:Middle Aged; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D060885:Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D009177:Mycoplasma pneumoniae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011019:Pneumonia, Mycoplasma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Molecular diagnostics; Multiplex PCR; Mycoplasma pneumoniae; Respiratory infections