[The creation of a test system for detecting Mycoplasma pneumoniae based on a method of directed DNA amplification]

A system for the rapid detection of M. pneumoniae, the causative agent of pneumonia in humans, has been developed. This system is based on the amplification of M. pneumoniae chromosomal DNA sequences in the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The use of two primer sets, for nucleotide sequences of adhesion protein P1 and for nucleotide sequences of variable regions of the 16S ribosomal RNA, has permitted the detection of individual M. pneumoniae cells. The application of this technique for the study of simulated clinical material has shown that PRC is a sensitive and reliable assay and may be useful for the early detection of M. pneumoniae in infectious clinical material (blood and sputum samples).