Diagnosis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in autopsy and open-lung biopsy tissues by nested PCR.

A nested PCR specific for the Mycoplasma pneumoniae P1 gene was used to diagnose mycoplasma infection in two cohort patients with severe pneumonia within 24 h of tissue receipt. A postmortem diagnosis of M. pneumoniae infection was obtained for the first patient, who died without the collection of appropriate paired samples for serodiagnosis. An open-lung biopsy obtained from the second patient allowed a quick, definitive diagnosis and proper selection of therapy.