APPLIED BIOLOGICS

1: J Clin Microbiol. 2007 Mar;45(3):953-7. Epub 2006 Nov 22.

Distribution of Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Mycoplasma salivarium in the synovial fluid of arthritis patients.

Johnson SM, Bruckner F, Collins D.

Department of Basic Medical Sciences, St. George's University of London, Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 ORE, United Kingdom. sjohnson@sgul.ac.uk

By use of a very sensitive nested PCR method targeting part of the strongly conserved mycoplasmal 16S RNA genes, Mycoplasma pneumoniae was found in the synovial fluid of 19/24 (79%) of rheumatoid arthritis patients, 6/6 (100%) of patients with nonrheumatoid inflammatory arthritis, and 8/10 (80%) of osteoarthritis patients attending the rheumatology clinic for drainage of joint effusions. It was not found in the synovial exudates of 13 people attending the orthopedic clinic with traumatic knee injuries or undergoing surgery for knee replacement. However, M. pneumoniae was detected in 2/4 synovial biopsy specimens from orthopedic patients with traumatic knee injuries. M. pneumoniae was associated with the increased synovial fluids found in arthritic flares but was not found in the synovial fluids of trauma patients. Mycoplasma salivarium occurred sporadically. Mycoplasma fermentans had previously been isolated from patients with inflammatory cellular infiltrates, such as rheumatoid arthritis, but it was not detected for osteoarthritic patients from either clinic. It is possible that these organisms may contribute to chronic inflammation within the joints.

PMID: 17122006 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

PMCID: PMC1829110

Related Links

• Mycoplasma fermentans, but not M penetrans, detected by PCR assays in synovium from patients with rheumatoid arthritis and other rheumatic disorders. [J Clin Pathol. 1996]
• Identification of Mycoplasma fermentans in synovial fluid samples from arthritis patients with inflammatory disease. [J Clin Microbiol. 2000]
• The prevalence of Mycoplasma fermentans in patients with inflammatory arthritides. [Rheumatology (Oxford). 2001]
• Mycoplasma genitalium in the joints of two patients with arthritis. [Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 1994]
• Detection of Mycoplasma salivarium and Mycoplasma fermentans in synovial fluids of temporomandibular joints of patients with disorders in the joints. [FEMS Immunol Med Microbiol. 1998]