Seroprevalence of Mycoplasma pneumoniae in HIV-infected patients using a microparticle agglutination test

Abstract

Mycoplasma pneumoniae is increasingly recognized as a common and important pathogen in community settings, and is responsible for various pulmonary and extrapulmonary conditions in the normal population. However, the seroepidemiology of acute M. pneumoniae infection in HIV-infected individuals is still unclear worldwide. This study examined the seroprevalence of antibodies to M. pneumoniae in HIV-infected patients admitted with respiratory complaints at a tertiary AIDS care centre in Chennai, India. A commercial gelatin microparticle agglutination test (Serodia-Myco II, Fujirebio) was used for the determination of antibodies against M. pneumoniae in acute serum specimens. Of the 200 HIV-infected patients with underlying pulmonary conditions tested, 34 (17 % positivity; 95 % CI 12–23 %) had antibodies specific to M. pneumoniae, while among the 40 patients with no underlying pulmonary symptoms, five (12.5 % positivity; 95 % CI 4–27 %) had evidence of anti-M. pneumoniae antibody. This shows that the incidence of M. pneumoniae seropositivity is greater in patients with underlying pulmonary complaints. Most positive titres were found in the age group 28–37 years in the symptomatic and symptom-free groups (64.7 and 60 %, respectively). The positive titres ranged from 40 to >20 480. High titres (⩾320) were found in 10 out of the 39 patients (25.6 %). This seroprevalence study reports a 16.2 % prevalence of M. pneumoniae infections in HIV-infected patients by a particle agglutination test.