Detection of Chlamydia pneumoniae by polymerase chain reaction.

While criteria for serodiagnosis of Chlamydia pneumoniae infection are well established, isolation of the organism is often difficult. To increase detection of this organism, C. pneumoniae-specific sequences were identified to permit amplification of C. pneumoniae by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A cloned C. pneumoniae 474-bp PstI fragment was shown by dot blot and Southern hybridization to differentiate C. pneumoniae from the other Chlamydia spp., react with all C. pneumoniae isolates tested, and not recognize DNA from normal throat flora or common respiratory tract agents. This cloned fragment was sequenced and primers for use in PCR were chosen on the bases of GenBank analysis, G + C ratio, and absence of secondary structure. All C. pneumoniae isolates tested were amplified by the HL-1-HR-1 primer pair or the HM-1-HR-1 primer pair, producing the expected 437- and 229-bp amplification products, respectively. None of the Chlamydia trachomatis serovars (B/TW-5/OT, C/TW-3/OT, D/UW-3/Cx, E/UW-5/Cx, F/UW-6/Cx, H/UW-4/Cx, I/UW-12/Ur, and L2/434/Bu), Chlamydia psittaci strains (Mn, 6BC, GPIC, FP, and OA), HeLa cells, or other organisms tested were amplified. Reaction conditions including MgCl2, oligonucleotides, and primer concentrations and temperature were optimized before application to clinical samples. Clinical specimens from patients from whom C. pneumoniae was isolated were also positive by PCR, while samples from patients with known C. trachomatis or C. psittaci infection were not amplified by PCR.