Development and evaluation of the polymerase chain reaction to detect Mycoplasma genitalium.

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was developed to detect Mycoplasma genitalium. Oligonucleotide primers were used to amplify a 374 bp region of the attachment protein of the mycoplasma. DNA from three strains of M. genitalium tested gave a characteristic PCR product which was not seen with DNA from any other source. As little as 10(-15) g of M. genitalium DNA could be detected and it was found in the vagina of progesterone-treated BALB/c mice inoculated with M. genitalium organisms later than they could be cultured from this site, but not in mice that never became colonised vaginally.