Abstract:

Objective To detect Ureaplasma urealyticum（Uu） and Mycoplasma hominis （Mh） in urogenital tract of healthy elementary and high school students, and to determine the biovars and serotypes of Uu isolates. Methods Urine specimens were collected from 957 healthy school children, including 404 elementary school students, 260 junior high school students and 293 senior high school students, and submitted for Uu and Mh culture in selective liquid medium. The specimens positive for Uu and （or） Mh culture were subsequently subjected to PCR. The biovars and serotypes of Uu were determined. Results Uu was detected in 4.81% （46/957） of the school children. Among the 46 Uu positive specimens, 32 （69.57%） harbored Ureaplasma Parvum （biovar 1）, 14 （30.43%） Ureaplasma urealytieum （biovar 2）; 12 （2.97%） were from elementary school students, including 9 （75.00%） cases of Ureaplasma Parvum and 3 （25.00%） Ureaplasma urealytieum, 8 （3.08%） were from junior high school students, including 5 cases of Ureaplasma Parvum and 3 Ureaplasma urealytieum, 26 （8.87%） were from senior high school students, including 18 （69.23%） cases of Ureaplasma Parvum and 8（30.77%）Ureaplasma urealytieum. Mh was positive in 9 （0.94%） school students, including 1 elementary school student, 1 junior school student and 7 senior high school students. The detection rate of Uu was significantly higher in females than in males in all the 3 groups （elementary school, junior and senior high school） of students. Conclusions Mh and Uu are commensals in urogenital tract of elementary and high school students without symptoms. Ureaplasma Parvum is the predominant biovar in this population, though Ureaplasma urealytieum accounts for a significant proportion, which implies that Uu is commensal in healthy elementary and high school students, and females are more liable to be colonized than males.

Key words: Epidemiology