Department of Microbiology, Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi, 110002, India.
Department of Pediatrics, Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi, India.
Indian J Pediatr. 2018 Jun;85(6):415-419. doi: 10.1007/s12098-017-2580-1. Epub 2018 Jan 10.
To determine the role of Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M. pneumoniae) in pediatric lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) employing serological tests and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis.
In this prospective study, 200 children aged 6 mo to 12 y hospitalized with acute LRTIs were investigated for M. pneumoniae. Serum samples were collected for serological analysis of M. pneumoniae. Throat swab samples were obtained on admission to amplify 277-base pair region of 16S rDNA gene of M. pneumoniae by PCR.
In the present study, 40(26.1%) children <5 y and 28(59.5%) children ≥5 y age group were positive for M. pneumoniae infection and this difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001). M. pneumoniae was positive in 32(41%) female and 36(29.5%) male children though this difference was statistically insignificant (P = 0.12). The clinical profile across M. pneumoniae positive and negative cases were comparable except for presence of chest pain which was statistically significant (P = 0.023). None of the radiological findings was statistically associated with incidence of M. pneumoniae infection. Serological evidence of acute M. pneumoniae infection was observed in 64(32%) patients with sensitivity 66.6% and specificity 70.1% while PCR positivity in 12(6%) patients with sensitivity 12.5% and specificity 97%. Together, serology and PCR detected M.pneumoniae infection in 68(34%) patients.
The present study underlines the role of M. pneumoniae in children with community- acquired LRTIs and more particularly in ≥5 y of age.
通过血清学检测和聚合酶链反应（PCR）分析，确定肺炎支原体（Mycoplasma pneumoniae，M. pneumoniae）在儿科下呼吸道感染（lower respiratory tract infections，LRTIs）中的作用。
在这项前瞻性研究中，对 200 名 6 个月至 12 岁因急性 LRTIs 住院的儿童进行 M. pneumoniae 调查。采集血清样本进行 M. pneumoniae 血清学分析。入院时采集咽拭子样本，通过 PCR 扩增 M. pneumoniae 16S rDNA 基因的 277 个碱基对区域。
本研究中，<5 岁的 40（26.1%）例和≥5 岁的 28（59.5%）例儿童 M. pneumoniae 感染阳性，差异具有统计学意义（P<0.001）。32（41%）例女性和 36（29.5%）例男性儿童的 M. pneumoniae 呈阳性，但差异无统计学意义（P=0.12）。除胸痛外，M. pneumoniae 阳性和阴性病例的临床特征相似，差异具有统计学意义（P=0.023）。没有任何放射学发现与 M. pneumoniae 感染的发生率有统计学关联。64（32%）例患者存在急性 M. pneumoniae 感染的血清学证据，敏感性为 66.6%，特异性为 70.1%；12（6%）例患者的 PCR 阳性，敏感性为 12.5%，特异性为 97%。总的来说，血清学和 PCR 检测到 68（34%）例患者存在 M.pneumoniae 感染。
本研究强调了 M. pneumoniae 在儿童社区获得性 LRTIs 中的作用，特别是在≥5 岁的儿童中。
