Mycoplasma pneumoniae – Respiratory PCR
Consistent with O. Reg. 671/92 of the French Language Services Act, laboratory testing information on this page is only available in English because it is scientific or technical in nature and is for use only by qualified health care providers and not by members of the public.
Background
This page provides real-time PCR testing information for Mycoplasma pneumoniae at Public Health Ontario (PHO).
Updates
Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) is added under specimen type. Prior to submission of CSF to Public Health Ontario, contact PHO’s Laboratory Customer Service Centre for Microbiologist’s approval to avoid rejection or delay in testing.
Testing Indications
Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a common cause of upper respiratory tract infections, bronchitis, and “atypical” community-acquired pneumonia. Clinical manifestations outside the respiratory tract are rare but may occur. M. pneumoniae is transmitted via respiratory droplets and can cause sporadic infections and sustained outbreaks.
If an outbreak is suspected, contact your local Public Health Unit.
Acceptance/Rejection Criteria
Acceptable:
- Use recommended collection kit (see below).
- Submit neat specimen (>=0.5 ml)
- Swab specimens must be collected with nylon flocculated swabs or on swabs with Dacron tips and aluminum or plastic shafts.
Unacceptable:
- Swabs with calcium alginate or cotton tips and wooden sticks are not acceptable, as they have been shown to inhibit PCR.
- Chemically fixed or preserved specimens are not acceptable for PCR testing and will be rejected upon receipt at PHO.
- Cobas PCR media is unacceptable as a transport media for Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Specimens sent in this media will be rejected.
Specimen Requirements
| Test Requested | Required Requisition(s) | Specimen Type | Minimum Volume | Collection Kit |
Mycoplasma pneumoniae PCR |
Bronchoalveolar lavage Nasopharyngeal Swab (NPS) Throat swab Tracheal aspirates Respiratory tract specimens Cerebrospinal Fluid(see note 3) |
- Swab in universal transport media provided in collection kit - Neat (minimum volume 0.5mL) |
Mycoplasma pneumoniae / Chlamydia pneumoniae KIT order# 390085 (6 Packs). |
Submission and Collection Notes
Complete all fields of the requisition form, including:
- Test(s) requests and indications for testing
- Patient setting/population/source
- Symptoms
- Onset date of symptoms
For clinical specimens, label the specimen container(s) with the patient’s first and last name, date of collection, and one other unique identifier such as the patient’s date of birth or Health Card Number. For additional information see: Criteria for Acceptance of Patient Specimens. Failure to provide this information may result in rejection or testing delay.
Before submitting CSF specimen to PHO, contact PHO’s Laboratory Customer Service Centre first for a Microbiologist’s approval. Note that CSF is not a validated specimen type.
Timing of Specimen Collection
Specimens should be collected as soon as possible following onset of symptoms using the Mycoplasma pneumoniae / Chlamydophila pneumoniae collection kit.
Storage and Transport
Specimens placed inside a biohazard bag and sealed should be stored at 2-8°C following collection and shipped to Public Health Ontario on ice packs. All clinical specimens must be shipped in accordance to the Transportation of Dangerous Good Act.
Test Frequency and Turnaround Time (TAT)
Mycoplasma pneumoniae PCR testing is performed at PHO, Toronto and Kingston locations.
TAT is up to 5 business days from receipt at Public Health Ontario.
Stat and Critical Specimens Testing
Contact PHO’s Laboratory Customer Service Centre when submitting critical specimen so it will be prioritized and included in the next available testing run.
The method is a laboratory-developed multiplex real- polymerase chain reaction (PCR)which detects Community-Acquired Respiratory Distress Syndrome (CARDS) toxin gene (Thurman et. al.) in Mycoplasma pneumoniae.
Only respiratory tract specimens like bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), nasopharyngeal swab (NPS), throat swab, and tracheal aspirates were validated for this assay at PHO. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is not a validated specimen type but can be tested when approved by the PHO microbiologist.
Interpretation
The following table provides possible test results with associated interpretations:
| Result | Interpretation | Comments |
|---|---|---|
Not Detected |
Mycoplasma pneumoniae Not Detected |
Note: This specimen was tested using a laboratory test developed by Public Health Ontario Laboratory for the purpose of clinical testing. Results should be interpreted in the context of the clinical situation. |
Detected |
Mycoplasma pneumoniae Detected |
Note: This specimen was tested using a laboratory test developed by Public Health Ontario Laboratory for the purpose of clinical testing. Results should be interpreted in the context of the clinical situation. |
Invalid |
Mycoplasma pneumoniae Invalid |
Note: Nucleic Acid extraction and/or amplification could not be successfully completed. This may be caused by inhibitory substances or improper sample collection. Please resubmit if clinically relevant. This specimen was tested using a laboratory test developed by Public Health Ontario Laboratory for the purpose of clinical testing. Results should be interpreted in the context of the clinical situation. |
Indeterminate |
Mycoplasma pneumoniae Indeterminate |
Note: An indeterminate PCR test result may be due to a low level of target genetic material in the specimen content or a non-specific signal. Please resubmit another specimen for testing if clinically indicated. This specimen was tested using a laboratory test developed by Public Health Ontario Laboratory for the purpose of clinical testing. Results should be interpreted in the context of the clinical situation. |
Inconclusive |
Mycoplasma pneumoniae Inconclusive |
Note: PCR results are inconclusive. Consider collecting a second specimen for repeat PCR testing. This specimen was tested using a laboratory test developed by Public Health Ontario Laboratory for the purpose of clinical testing. Results should be interpreted in context of the clinical situation. |
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