Molecular Detection of Legionella Pneumophila, Mycoplasma Pneumoniae and Chlamydia Pneumoniae among Sudanese Patients with Acute Respiratory Infections in Khartoum State, Sudan

Background: Bacterial infections affect humans causing mild to severe pneumoniae, particularly in immune-compromised individuals. The aim of this study was to detect and characterize Legionella pneumophila, Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydia pneumoniae among Sudanese patients in Khartoum state, Sudan.

Materials and Methods: Eighty throat swab specimens were collected from patients experiencing respiratory infection. C. pneumoniae, L. pneumophila, and M. pneumoniae were detected by multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Results: Out of the eighty specimens tested from respiratory infection L. pneumophila was detected in 43(53.8%), M. pneumoniae in 14(17.5%) and C. pneumoniae in 9 (11.3%) using multiplex PCR. Mixed infections with two or three of these organisms constituted a high proportion of these infections (15%), while single infections with L. pneumophila, M. pneumoniae and C. pneumoniae represented 38.8%, 3.8 % and 5% of the infections respectively,

Conclusions: This is first report on molecular detection of Legionella pneumophila in Sudan. Multiplex PCR can offer a rapid method for detection of Legionella pneumophila, Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydia pneumoniae in patients with respiratory tract infection in a hospital setting in Sudan.

Keywords: Chlamydia pneumoniae, Legionella pneumophila, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Legionella, Multiplex PCR, Respiratory infections, Sudan