Highly Specific DNA Probe for Diagnostics of Mycoplasma Pneumoniae Infections

ABSTRACTThe known information on the Mycoplasma pneumoniae genome was analyzed. A region with a maximum sequence specificity, localized within the gene for the PI adhesine, was chosen. A fragment of this gene with a length of 167 base pairs was cloned, tested as a hybridization probe and a high specificity was shown making this probe a highly reliable diagnostic tool. A PCR diagnostic kit, based on the same genome region was created and tested.