Rapid Detection of Mycoplasmas with DNA Probes

摘要

The Mycoplasmatales constitute a broad and diverse collection of microorganism which are grouped together taxonomically based on the absence of a defined cell wall. The family is broken into several genra on the basis of physiological or morphological differences. Mycoplasmas have long been recognized as the etiologic agents of many animal and human diseases. In humans the most well recognized infections are respiratory diseases, often with extrapulmonary complications, usually associated with Mycoplasma pneumoniae and infections of the urogential tract. Urogential disease is most commonly associated with M. hominis and Ureaplasma Urelyticum. It has been postulated that mycoplasmas may be associated with several additional human diseases, most notably rheumatoid arthritis. Clearly the mycoplasmas constitute an important but difficult to study group of agents in human and animal disease. Another serious impact of these organisms is their all too frequent role as contaminants of tissue cultures and tissue culture media. This paper will set out to establish a new approach to the development and application of DNA probe testing.