Methods in Mycoplasmology V2

Book excerpt: Methods in Mycoplasmology, Volume II: Diagnostic Mycoplasmology is the second of a two-volume series that resulted from cumulative efforts to meet the need for standardized techniques in mycoplasmology. The book is organized into five sections. Section A discusses techniques for isolating mycoplasmas from humans. These include the recovery of mycoplasmas from the respiratory and genitourinary tracts, from blood and special tissues, and serological Identification of mycoplasmas from humans. Section B focuses on techniques for isolating mycoplasmas from animals, including the recovery and identification of avian, bovine, caprine, ovine, canine, and feline mycoplasmas. Section C presents techniques for isolating mycoplasmas from cell cultures. These include agar and broth techniques, the use of indicator cell lines, and DNA fluorochrome staining. Section D discusses techniques for isolating mycoplasmas from plants and insects. Section E describes some of the techniques that are useful in evaluating the pathogenicity of mycoplasmas, ureaplasmas, and spiroplasmas. Section F defines some of the techniques useful in virus detection by electron microscopy and presents methods for isolating and characterizing viruses from both mycoplasmas and spiroplasmas.