New Diagnostic Strategy:

By using PCR - method for amplifying a selected nucleic acid sequence. To target the amplification to a specific DNA segment, two primers bearing the complementary sequences that are unique to the target gene are used. These two primers hybridize to opposite strands of the target DNA, thus enabling DNA polymerase to extend the sequence between them. Each cycle produces a complementary DNA strand to the target gene. Newer detection methods targeting protein antigens or nucleic acids hold promise for more rapid diagnosis. To diagnosed it, usually the physician use of a nested-PCR assay to detect M. pneumoniae DNA in tissue samples from two patients with severe pneumonia. With this approach, a definitive diagnosis was available within 24 h.

Nowadays, there are many PCR test kit that available that can be used to diagnose the disease and it is easy to handle. Mycoplasma complement fixation or MCF which is the replacement test for cold agglutinin titer, identifies antibodies to a specific mycoplasma and are reported as a titer to the specific mycoplasma(s) resident in the patient. This is more specific than the M. pneumoniae kit.

We can also collect the samples from the patients, screen the samples and find out if there are any presence of DNA or protein sequence of the pathogen by the help of existing software. For this case, we can check the presence of the unique adhesin protein of M. pneumonia which allows close interaction between the pathogen and the host cells. It is a useful method which can be used to identify the pathogen which attack the patient’s system.