Clinical severity of Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) infection is associated with bacterial load in oropharyngeal secretions but not with MP genotype.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Disease severity in Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) infection could potentially be related to bacterial factors such as MP genotype (MP1 or MP2; distinguished by different adhesions proteins) or bacterial load in airway secretions. We have compared these parameters in patients who were hospitalized for MP pneumonia, with outpatients with mild MP disease.

Methods

MP bacterial load was measured by real-time PCR in 45 in- and outpatients ("clinical study group") in whom MP DNA had been detected in oropharyngeal secretions by PCR. In addition, genotype and phylogenetic relationships were determined. The phylogenetical assessment was done by partial DNA sequencing of the P1 gene on isolates from 33 patients in the clinical study-group where sufficient DNA was available. The

SUBMITTER: Nilsson AC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2837002 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature