Name: Reham A. Abd El Rahman
Email: raabdrahmen@uhb.edu.sa
Department of Clinical laboratory science, College of Applied Medical sciences, University of Hafer AL Batin UHB, Hafer AL Batin, Saudia Aribia
Molecular Diagnosis of Mycoplasma Pneumonia isolated from Central Hospital in Hafer Al Batin
Abstract
Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a common cause of community-acquired pneumonia and lower respiratory tract infections. Detection of M. pneumoniae infections can be achieved using culture, serology, or molecular-based methods. Traditionally, diagnosis has relied on serological methods, but molecular techniques are increasingly proving valuable. Despite this, there is a lack of sufficient studies directly comparing the effectiveness of these diagnostic approaches. Accurate microbiological diagnosis of pneumonia is crucial to ensure appropriate antibiotic treatment, which plays a key role in reducing morbidity and mortality rates. This study outlines the development of a novel duplex real-time PCR assay for detecting M. pneumoniae, incorporating an internal control for real-time PCR. Furthermore, the application of real-time nucleic acid sequence-based amplification (NASBA) using an I Cycler instrument is evaluated. Results: these assays were evaluated alongside a conventional PCR assay on 103 clinical samples isolated from 110 patients with lower respiratory tract infections. Among the 103 samples, 14 (13.59%) tested positive by all molecular techniques. Clinical symptoms of patients with Mycoplasma pneumoniae-positive results were compared to those with other lower respiratory tract infections. The analysis revealed statistically significant differences, including a lower mean age, the presence of chills, elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and higher C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in M. pneumoniae-positive patients. Molecular techniques demonstrated superior diagnostic performance for M. pneumoniae, offering a more timely and accurate diagnosis. Conclusion: The study concluded that PCR and LAMP (loop-mediated isothermal amplification) are highly sensitive and specific diagnostic tools, making them valuable alternatives for the clinical diagnosis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae.
Keywords: Mycoplasma pneumonia, isothermal amplification, PCR, community-acquired pneumonia and lower-respiratory-tract infections.
