Application of different methods in the diagnosis of respiratory mycoplasmosis

A complex of methods for the detection of Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Mycoplasma hominis in children and adults with respiratory diseases (acute, chronic and obstructive bronchitis, pneumonia, recurring croup, bronchial asthma), as well as in children frequently having acute respiratory diseases, has been worked out and tested. Both infective agents are frequently detected in the above mentioned pathological processes as monoinfection or mixed infection. Mycoplasma antigens are capable of prolonged (up to 1 year) persistence in the patient body in spite of etiotropic therapy and the presence of specific antibodies. The method of the preliminary treatment of specimens for the polymerase chain reaction is proposed: the specimens are subjected to prolonged deproteinization, which makes it possible to detect M. pneumoniae in some cases of chronic infection when it cannot be detected by routine methods.