Authors : A. Rivera, E. Rivera, C. Gil, R. Perez-y-Terron, S. Giono and L. Cedillo
Abstract: The lack a rigid cell wall allows direct and intimate contact of the mycoplasma membrane with the cytoplasmic membrane of the host cell. During the fusion process, mycoplasma components are delivered into the host cell and affect the normal functions of the cell. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of recovery of Mycoplasma sp. in throat swabs from healthy subjects. A microbiological cultures and PCR assay was used to detected mycoplasmas in throat swabs. Two hundred ten subjects provided throats swabs, of which 142 (68%) and 68 (32%) were females and males, respectively. Seventy five swabs cultured in broth and fifty one swabs cultured in agar plates were Mycoplasma sp. positive. PCR detected Mycoplasma sp. far more frequently than culture and these results indicate that mycoplasmas can grow in close interaction with epithelial cells with occurred frequently at mucosal sites in a healthy population.
A. Rivera, E. Rivera, C. Gil, R. Perez-y-Terron, S. Giono and L. Cedillo, 2010. Mycoplasma Sp. Detected in the Airways of Normal Healthy Subjects. Research Journal of Biological Sciences, 5: 61-63.