Multiple-locus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis of mycoplasma pneumoniae clinical specimens and proposal for amendment of MLVA nomenclature

PLoS One. 2013 May 30;8(5):e64607. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0064607. Print 2013.

Abstract

Mycoplasma pneumoniae is one of the major respiratory bacterial pathogens that cause pneumonia in humans. Multiple-locus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis (MLVA) is currently the most discriminative method for typing M. pneumoniae strains. To better understand the epidemic of M. pneumoniae-related pneumonia in pediatric patients in Beijing, China, we performed MLVA analysis on 118 specimens collected during an epidemic from 2010-2012. Eleven distinct MLVA types were identified, including four novel types. There was no obvious association of macrolide resistance with any of the genotypes. Considering the instability of VNTR locus Mpn1, we propose an amended MLVA nomenclature system based on the remaining four VNTR loci.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Drug Resistance, Bacterial / genetics
  • Female
  • Genes, Bacterial / genetics
  • Genetic Loci / genetics*
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Macrolides / pharmacology
  • Male
  • Mutation
  • Mycoplasma pneumoniae / classification*
  • Mycoplasma pneumoniae / drug effects
  • Mycoplasma pneumoniae / genetics*
  • Mycoplasma pneumoniae / isolation & purification
  • Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length
  • RNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • RNA, Ribosomal / genetics
  • Tandem Repeat Sequences / genetics*
  • Terminology as Topic*

Substances

  • Macrolides
  • RNA, Bacterial
  • RNA, Ribosomal

Grants and funding

This work was supported by Beijing Natural Science Foundation (7112019) and Beijing City Talent Training Project Fund (20071A0303200118). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.