Survey of mycoplasmal bacteremia detected in children by polymerase chain reaction

To determine whether mycoplasmal bacteremia occurs during ordinary or complicated diseases due to M. pneumoniae (and if so, how frequently), we used polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect M. pneumoniae in serum samples. The PCR primers used were modified for nested amplification. The genome of this organism was detected in 1 of the 25 patients with pneumonia and 10 of the 17 patients without pneumonia (P < .001, chi(2) test). The genome was detected more frequently in patients who had encephalitis of which the neurological onset was within 7 days of the onset of fever rather than later. We hypothesize that mycoplasmal bacteremia occurs more frequently than previously appreciated, specifically in the absence of pneumonia, and that certain types of complications (e.g., encephalitis of early onset) are associated with its occurrence.