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Comparative Study
. 1999 Jan;37(1):14-7.
doi: 10.1128/JCM.37.1.14-17.1999.

Comparison of PCR, culture, and serological tests for diagnosis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae respiratory tract infection in children

J W Dorigo-Zetsma  1 , S A Zaat, P M Wertheim-van Dillen, L Spanjaard, J Rijntjes, G van Waveren, J S Jensen, A F Angulo, J Dankert
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Comparison of PCR, culture, and serological tests for diagnosis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae respiratory tract infection in children

J W Dorigo-Zetsma et al. J Clin Microbiol. 1999 Jan.

Abstract

For diagnosis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection we compared two rapid tests, PCR and the immunoglobulin M immunofluorescence assay (IgM IFA), with culture and the complement fixation test (CFT), in a prospective study among 92 children with respiratory tract infection and 74 controls. Based on positivity of culture and/or CFT as the diagnostic criterion, nine patients (10%) were diagnosed with M. pneumoniae infection. All patients positive by culture were also positive by PCR. In all controls cultures, PCRs, and serological assays were negative, except in one with a positive IgM IFA. The IgM IFA had a low positive predictive value of 50%. Only a combination of PCR (seven patients) and CFT (seven patients) allowed diagnosis of all cases.

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References

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