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Updated: Jan 19, 2026
Author Spotlight: Advancing Rapid Detection of Respiratory Pathogens Using Microfluidic Chip
Published on: March 29, 2024
Rapid Detection of Mycoplasma pneumoniae by Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) in Clinical Respiratory
Maryam Arfaatabar1, Narjes Noori Goodarzi1, Davoud Afshar2
1Department of Pathobiology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Background:
Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a common cause of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) worldwide, especially among children and debilitated populations. The present study aimed to investigate a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) technique for rapid detection of M. pneumoniae in clinical specimens collected from patients with pneumonia.
Methods:
Throat swabs were collected from 110 outpatients who suffered from pneumonia. Throat swab samples were obtained from patients referred to the hospital outpatient clinics of Tehran University hospitals, Iran in 2017. The presence of M. pneumoniae in the clinical specimens was evaluated by LAMP, PCR and culture methods. Sensitivity and specificity of the LAMP and PCR assays were also determined.
Results:
Out of 110 specimens, LAMP assay detected M. pneumoniae in 35 specimens. Detection limit of the LAMP assay was determined to be 33fg /μL or ∼ 40 genome copies/reaction. Moreover, no cross-reaction with genomic DNA from other bacteria was observed. Only 25 specimens were positive by the culture method. The congruence between LAMP assay and culture method was 'substantial' (ϰ=0.77). Specificity and sensitivity of LAMP assay were 88.2%, 100% in compare with culture. However, the congruence between LAMP assay and PCR assay was 'almost perfect' (ϰ=0.86). Specificity and sensitivity of LAMP assay were 92.5%, 100% in compare with PCR.
Conclusion:
Overall, the LAMP assay is a rapid and cost-efficient laboratory test in comparison to other methods including PCR and culture. Therefore, the LAMP method can be applied in identification of M. pneumoniae isolates in respiratory specimens.
Insights
A new loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay rapidly and accurately detects Mycoplasma pneumoniae, a common cause of pneumonia. This cost-efficient method offers a valuable alternative to traditional PCR and culture techniques for clinical diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Molecular Diagnostics
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a significant global cause of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), particularly in vulnerable populations.
- Rapid and accurate diagnostic methods are crucial for managing M. pneumoniae infections.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) technique for the rapid detection of M. pneumoniae in clinical respiratory samples.
- To compare the performance of LAMP with conventional PCR and culture methods.
Main Methods:
- Throat swabs from 110 pneumonia outpatients were analyzed using LAMP, PCR, and culture.
- Sensitivity and specificity of the LAMP assay were determined against both culture and PCR.
Main Results:
- The LAMP assay detected M. pneumoniae in 35 out of 110 specimens, demonstrating a high sensitivity (100%) and specificity (88.2% vs. culture, 92.5% vs. PCR).
- The detection limit was as low as approximately 40 genome copies/reaction, with no observed cross-reactivity.
- Congruence was substantial with culture (ϰ=0.77) and almost perfect with PCR (ϰ=0.86).
Conclusions:
- The LAMP assay is a rapid, sensitive, and specific method for identifying M. pneumoniae in respiratory specimens.
- It presents a cost-efficient and practical alternative to PCR and culture for clinical laboratories.
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