Mycoplasma pneumoniae--stimulation of lymphocytes obtained from adenoid vegetations and blood in children with and without serological evidence of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection.

Abstract

Thymidine incorporation in lymphocytes obtained from adenoids (AVL) and blood (PBL) and stimulated in vitro with Mycoplasma (M.) pneumoniae antigen, was determined in 16 children with serological indication of a current or recent M.pneumoniae infection, and in 14 controls. Both AVL and PBL gave higher responses in the M.pneumoniae-positive group than in the control group. The best discrimination between the two groups was achieved by AVL stimulated by M.pneumoniae, AVL did not respond, indicating that in this assay recent or actual M.pneumoniae infection is better expressed by AVL than by PBL.