Disseminated Mycoplasma orale infection in a patient with common variable immunodeficiency syndrome

Human infection with Mycoplasma species other than M. pneumoniae are infrequent, but may be encountered in patients with immunodeficiencies. We report a patient with combined variable immunodeficiency that developed multiple abscesses and destructive bone disease caused by M. orale, an organism generally considered to be non-pathogenic. Molecular laboratory methods, 16S rRNA sequence analysis, were used to detect the organism directly in the surgical specimen and confirmed following isolating of the organism. This case demonstrates the importance of molecular technology in the diagnosis of difficult infectious disease problems.