Rapid detection of Mycoplasma pneumoniae and its macrolide-resistance mutation by Cycleave PCR

Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a common cause of community-acquired pneumonia, which is often empirically treated with macrolides such as erythromycin and azithromycin. Recent studies have found a gradual increase in the numbers of macrolide-resistant strains due to mutations in the 23S rRNA gene. A2063G is the most common mutation, followed by A2064G. We developed a Cycleave PCR method for detecting macrolide-resistant strains of M. pneumoniae. With use of this method, the resistant strains can be quickly separated from the susceptible ones. In this work, via this method, both M. pneumoniae and resistance mutants were successfully identified from 101 clinical isolates as well as from 136 nasopharyngeal specimens. The findings of this study may allow clinicians to determine the treatment plan more rapidly and may provide a convenient method to conduct surveillance for genetic mutations conferring antibiotic resistance.