mycoplasmas - Pierre's abstracts

[Guest guest]

Was reading some of Pierre's abstracts and noticed this one - does this

conclusion indicate what I think it does - namely, that this group is unable to

identify mycoplasmas in synovial fluid with PCR testing? Or does mycoplasma DNA

mean something different than just mycoplasmas?

Mark

Unique Identifier

97357070

Authors

Hoffman RW. O'Sullivan FX. Schafermeyer KR. TL. Roussell D.

-McKown R. Kim MF. Wise KS.

Institution

University of Missouri-Columbia, and Harry S Truman Memorial Veterans

Hospital, USA.

Title

Mycoplasma infection and rheumatoid arthritis: analysis of their

relationship using immunoblotting and an ultrasensitive polymerase chain

reaction detection method [see comments].

Source

Arthritis & Rheumatism. 40(7):1219-28, 1997 Jul.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between infection with Mycoplasma

and the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and juvenile rheumatoid

arthritis (JRA). METHODS: Immunoblotting of patient synovial fluid and

sera on detergent-phase membrane protein extracts of various Mycoplasma

species was carried out to learn whether patients exhibited serologic

evidence of previous exposure to mycoplasmas. Moreover, an ultrasensitive

polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method was developed for assessing whether

Mycoplasma DNA could be detected in synovial fluid from patients and

controls. RESULTS: Immunoblotting provided serologic evidence of previous

Mycoplasma exposure in patients and controls. The genus-specific PCR

detected known human Mycoplasma species and could reliably detect <5

copies of Mycoplasma hominis, Mycoplasma fermentans, or a molecular mimic

control in synovial fluid. Repeat testing revealed no evidence of

Mycoplasma DNA in patient synovial samples. CONCLUSION: This study

provided serologic evidence suggesting that, while previous exposure to

Mycoplasma was common, there was no detectable persistence of Mycoplasma

DNA in the synovial fluid or tissue of patients with RA or JRA.

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