Simple method for determining biovar and serovar types of Ureaplasma urealyticum clinical isolates using PCR-single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis.

Ureaplasma urealyticum has been associated with urethritis in men, obstetric problems in women, and respiratory distress syndrome in preterm infants. U. urealyticum can be divided into two biovars comprising 14 serovars. Partial sequences of genes encoding the multiple-banded antigens of the cell surface are known. Using a commercially available precast DNA mutation detection gel system, we have developed a simple and reproducible PCR-single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis method for differentiating the biovars of this species that reveals five patterns among the 14 serovars and enables clinical isolates to be typed directly from broth cultures.