Laboratory Diagnosis Of Mycoplasma Pneumoniae Respiratory Tract Infections In Children

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Journal Title, Volume, Page: 
Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis (2007) 26:513–515
Year of Publication: 
2007
Authors: 
Motasem Yosof Almasri
Department of Biological Sciences, An-Najah N. University, Nablus, Palestine
E. Souliou
First Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki 54124, Greece
A. Papa
First Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki 54124, Greece
A. Theodoridou
Department of Paediatrics, AHEPA Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
E. Diza
First Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki 54124, Greece
Preferred Abstract (Original): 

Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a common respiratory tract pathogen that causes up to 40% of cases of communityacquired pneumonia in children [1]. A specific diagnosis is essential because treatment of M. pneumoniae infection with β-lactam antibiotics is ineffective. In routine laboratories, serology remains an important diagnostic tool [2, 3]. However, it can only provide a retrospective diagnosis and paired samples are required. Recently developed PCR techniques show high levels of specificity and sensitivity for the rapid detection of M. pneumoniae in clinical specimens[4, 5]; however, PCR alone is not always sufficient for a diagnosis [3]. In lieu of a gold-standard diagnostic method, we aimed to evaluate the laboratory methods currently used to diagnose M. pneumoniae infection in order to find the one most suitable for rapidly diagnosing the illness, especially in the early phase of disease.

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