Isolation of Mycoplasma spp. from Cuban HIV-positive patients with respiratory symptoms

[摘要] Introduction: Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma are recognized as etiologic agents of opportunistic infections in HIV-positive patients. The microbiological diagnosis of respiratory infections caused by mycoplasmas is an arduous task. The use of specific selective culture media for these microorganisms is a decisive step in the procedures to be followed. Objective: detect the presence of Mycoplasma spp. as an etiologic agent of respiratory infections in Cuban immunocompromised patients. Methods: 54 sputum samples from HIV-positive patients with respiratory symptoms were analyzed by bacteriological culture in modified SP-4 medium followed by identification of the isolates by biochemical and molecular techniques. Results: growth of Mycoplasma spp. was observed in 16 % (9/54) of the samples. Polymerase chain reaction confirmed that all isolates belonged to the class Mollicutes. However, none could be identified with the sets of primers assayed for each of the species studied. Conclusions: results provide evidence suggestive of the reemergence of Mycoplasma spp. as a pathogen responsible for respiratory manifestations in Cuban HIV-positive patients, which points to the need to take these microorganisms into consideration when indicating microbiological examinations to patients with respiratory manifestations.

[学科分类] 传染病学

[关键词] Mycoplasma;HIV;respiratory infections;SP-4 medium;Mollicutes