Serological and molecular detection of Mycoplasma pneumoniae in children with community-acquired lower respiratory tract infections

• Published in: Diagnostic microbiology and infectious disease Vol. 95; no. 1; pp. 5 - 9
• Main Authors: Kumar, Surinder, Garg, Indu Bala, Sethi, GR
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.09.2019
• Subjects: Antibodies, Bacterial - blood; Child; Child, Preschool; Children; Community-Acquired Infections - epidemiology; Community-Acquired Infections - microbiology; Diagnosis; Female; Humans; Incidence; India - epidemiology; Infant; Lower respiratory tract infections; Male; Molecular Diagnostic Techniques; Mycoplasma pneumoniae; Mycoplasma pneumoniae - genetics; Mycoplasma pneumoniae - immunology; Mycoplasma pneumoniae - isolation & purification; Pharynx - microbiology; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma - epidemiology; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma - microbiology; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Respiratory Tract Infections - epidemiology; Respiratory Tract Infections - microbiology; Sensitivity and Specificity; Serologic Tests; Serology; India; Lower respiratory tract infections; Polymerase chain reaction; Mycoplasma pneumoniae; Serology; Children; Diagnosis
• ISSN: 0732-8893; 1879-0070
• DOI: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2019.03.010

This study was designed to evaluate the incidence of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in children with community-acquired lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs). A total of 245 patients 6 months to 12 years of age were investigated for M. pneumoniae employing serological tests, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), nested PCR, and reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) on throat swab samples. Forty five (59.2%) children <5 years and 31 (40.7%) children ≥5 years age group were positive for M. pneumoniae infection, and this difference was statistically significant (P ≤ 0.01).Clinical and radiological findings across M.pneumoniae–positive and –negative cases were comparable. Serology, PCR, nested PCR, and RT-PCR together detected M. pneumoniae infection in 76 (31%) patients. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of PCR were 16.18%, 95.48%, 57.89%, and 74.78%, respectively, and those of serology were 57.89%, 74.78%, 16.18%, and 95.48%, respectively. Serological and molecular detection in combination is useful for rapid and reliable diagnosis of M. pneumoniae infections in children with LRTIs.