TABLE 1.
Total numbers of samples tested and percentages positive by the various methods used for Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydophila pneumoniae diagnosis
| Bacterium and method | No. of samples tested | No. positive | % positive | P valuea |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M. pneumoniae | ||||
| Culture | 24,677 | 10 | 0.04 | NA |
| PCR | 8,509 | 167 | 1.9 | <0.001 |
| Serology (IgM by ELISA) | 92,507 | 6,049 | 6.6 | <0.001 |
| C. pneumoniae | ||||
| Culture | 6,981 | 0 | 0 | NA |
| PCR | 994 | 6 | 0.6 | <0.001 |
| Serology (IgM by MIF) | 58,211 | 960 | 1.6 | <0.001 |
| Serology (IgM by ELISA) | 3,689 | 143 | 3.9 | <0.001 |
a
Compared to culture; determined using Fisher's exact test (one tail). NA, not applicable.