Second conference on Biotechnology Research and Application In Palestine

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Research Title: 
Molecular and Serologic Approaches for Diagnosis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae Infections in Children and Typing of the Pathogen
Authors: 
Motasem Almasri
Authors: 
Efimia Souliou
Authors: 
Ana Papa
Authors: 
Nikos Mallisiobas
Authors: 
Euthoxia Diza
Authors: 
Antoniadis
Country: 
Palestine
Date: 
Sun, 2010-09-26
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Research Abstract: 

M. pneumoniae is a common cause of upper and lower respiratory tract infections of variable severity (4).Infections of this pathogen occur worldwide throughout the year (7), although they are best documented as a significant cause of respiratory disease in temperate climates (3). The incidence of M. pneumoniae is great est among school-age children and declines after adolescence (1).  However, M. pneumoniae may occur endemically and occasionall y epidemicall y in older persons, as well as in children under five years of age (2).The clinical presentation of patients with M. pneumoniae infection is not significantly different from that of patients with infections caused by other bacteria or viruses, so diagnosis of M. pneumoniae infection relies primarily on special laboratory testing (6).  The lack of rapid and accurate diagnostic laboratory tests to detect M. pneumoniae directly or the serologic response it elicits has hampered understanding of the epidemiology and contributed to the unawareness of the potential clinical significance of this common pathogen (9). A specific diagnosis is important, because b-lactam antibiotics treatment of an infection due to M. pneumoniae is ineffective, whereas the use of other types of antibiotics, such as macrolides, can markedly reduce the duration of the illness (5). The clinical isolates of M. pneumoniae have been shown to exhibit some nucleotide sequence variation in the P1 gene.     Accordingly, the M. pneumoniae strains were divided into two groups, I and II (8).