Feasibility of culture of Mycoplasma genitalium (MGen) from clinical specimens

MGen is detected in up to a third of patients accessing sexual health service (SHS). Resistance has been detected to many of the currently available treatments. Isolation of the organism in vitro is difficult and so diagnostic/antimicrobial susceptibility testing is performed molecularly. Detection of mutations associated with AMR denote genotypic resistance. Whilst the mutations detected in the 23S rRNA gene are well characterised, those present in the parC gene which result in clinical treatment failure remain ambiguous. We will test the feasibility of isolating MGen from clinical specimens in tissue cell lines to support the development of methods to assay isolates with mutations of unknown clinical significance.

Findings will aid patient management, inform treatment guidelines, promote antimicrobial stewardship, thereby reducing transmission and morbidity.