PCR versus culture in the detection of vaginal Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma hominis.

摘要

The "gold standard" method for the detection of genital mycoplasmas used to be culture, but culture is slow, lacks sensitivity, is prone to contamination with other micro-organisms, and requires repeated observations with light microscopy. Currently, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) appears to be the method that will replace culture for the detection of genital mycoplasmas from clinical specimens. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to compare the performances of the PCR assay and culture in the detection of vaginal Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma hominis.