Abstract
Acholeplasmas have been isolated from a variety of animals, insects, and plants, but onlyAcholeplasma laidlawii has previously been found in humans. We have isolatedAcholeplasma oculi in pure culture from the amniotic fluid of a woman at 19 weeks of gestation. The organism was positively identified by growth inhibition, epi-immunofluorescence, and arbutin hydrolysis. Demonstration of organisms directly in amniotic fluid by DNA fluorochrome and immunofluorescence staining provided additional evidence that the isolate was genuine and not a medium contaminant. The remainder of the pregnancy was unremarkable, and a full-term male infant was delivered without complications. Even though there is some evidence possibly associatingA. oculi with various diseases in livestock, the prevalence and significance ofA. oculi in humans has not been determined.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literature Cited
Al-Aubaidi JM, Dardiri AH, Muscoplatt CC, McCauley EH (1973) Identification and characterization ofAcholeplasma oculusi spec. nov. (oculi) from the eyes of goats with keratoconjunctivitis. Cornell Vet 63:117–129
Ball HJ, Malone F, McParland PJ (1981) Isolation ofAcholeplasma oculi in Northern Ireland. Vet Rec 109:320
Cassell GH, Davis RO, Waites KB, Brown MB, Marriott PA, Stagno S, Davis JK (1983) Isolation ofMycoplasma hominis andUreaplasma urealyticum from amniotic fluid at 16–20 weeks gestation: potential effect on pregnancy outcome. Sex Trans Dis 10:294–302
Clark TB, Tully JG, Rose DL, Henegar R, Whitcomb RF (1986) Acholeplasmas and similar nonsterol-requiring mollicutes from insects: missing link in microbial ecology. Curr Microbiol 13:11–16
Clyde WA (1983) Growth inhibition tests. In: Razin S, Tully JG (eds) Methods in mycoplasmology, vol 1. New York: Academic Press, pp 405–410
Foulon W, Naessens A, Dewaele M, Lauwers S, Amy JJ (1986) ChronicUreaplasma urealyticum amnionitis associated with abruptio placentae. Obstet Gynecol 68:280–282
Gardella RS, Del Guidice RA, Tully JG (1983) Immunofluorescence. In: Razin S, Tully JG (eds) Methods in mycoplasmology, vol 1. New York: Academic Press, pp 431–439
Gourlay RN, Howard CJ (1979) Bovine mycoplasmas. In: Tully JG, Whitcomb RF (eds) The mycoplasmas, vol 2. New York: Academic Press, pp 49–102
Kumar A, Pathak RC (1979) Isolation and characterization of some members ofMycoplasma andAcholeplasma from uterus of sheep and goats. Ind J Exp Biol 16:1011–1013
Markham JG, Markham NP (1969)Mycoplasma laidlawii in human burns. J Bacteriol 98:827–828
Rose DL, Tully JG (1983) Detection ofb-d-glucosidase: hydrolysis of esculin and arbutin. In: Razin S, Tully JG (eds) Methods in mycoplasmology, vol 1. New York: Academic Press, pp 385–388
Shepard MC (1983) Culture media for ureaplasmas. In: Razin S, Tully JG (eds) Methods in mycoplasmology, vol 1. New York: Academic Press, pp 137–146
Shepard MC, Lunceford CD (1978) Serological typing ofUreaplasma urealyticum isolates from urethritis patients by an agar growth inhibition method. J Clin Microbiol 8:566–574.
Stevens EB, Aulakh GS, Rose DL, Tully JG, Barile MF (1983) Interspecies and intraspecies DNA homology among established species ofAcholeplasma: a review. Yale J Biol Med 56:729–735
Taylor-Robinson D (1983) Metabolism inhibition tests. In: Razin S, Tully JG (eds) Methods in mycoplasmology, vol 1. New York: Academic Press, pp 411–417
Tiwana JS, Singh N (1982) Isolation ofAcholeplasma oculi from genital lesions in sheep. Vet Rec 111:417
Tully JG (1973) The acholeplasmas. NY Acad Sci 225:74–93
Tully JG (1979) Special features of the acholeplasmas. In: Barile MF, Razin S (eds) The mycoplasmas, vol 1. New York: Academic Press, pp 431–449
Tully JG (1981) Laboratory diagnosis ofMycoplasma pneumoniae infections. Isr J Med Sci 17:644–647
Waites KB, Bobo RA, Davis RO, Brookings ES, Cassell GH (1984) Clinically silent polymicrobial amnionitis and intrauterine fetal death associated with an intrauterine contraceptive device. Am J Obstet Gynecol 150:998–999
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Waites, K.B., Tully, J.G., Rose, D.L. et al. Isolation ofAcholeplasma oculi from human amniotic fluid in early pregnancy. Current Microbiology 15, 325–327 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01577589
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01577589