The efficiency of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was compared with that of culture for detection of Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma hominis in 726 clinical specimens comprising 189 gynecological samples, 362 urological samples, and 175 samples from newborn infants. The sensitivity of PCR versus culture was 95% for both organisms, while the sensitivity of culture versus PCR was 91% for Ureaplasma urealyticum and 84% for Mycoplasma hominis. Furthermore, PCR tests were faster than culture tests, allowing the time to diagnosis to be reduced from two to five days to 24 h.

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In a prospective randomized study 38 patients with recurrent urinary tract infections (rUTI) were included to take either 50 mg Nitrofurantoin (n = 19) or 50 mg Trimethoprim (n = 19) as low-dose long-term prophylaxis for half a year. Compliance was checked weekly by Bacillus subtilis spore test strips sent in by mail. The infection rate was reduced from more than three per patient year to 0.01. There were no significant differences between the two groups concerning the recurrence rate (Nitrofurantoin: one rUTI; Trimethoprim: three rUTI) or side effects. Under Nitrofurantoin treatment 3 symptomatic fungal infections occurred. Trimethoprim and Nitrofurantoin are equally suitable for low-dose long-term prophylaxis in rUTI. Surveillance of compliance gives important hints for failure of prophylaxis.

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