Problems and strategies in the detection of Mycoplasma hominis

Among the diseases that are transmitted mainly sexually, urogenital mycoplasmosis occupies one of the first places. Clinical manifestations of the disease caused by M. hominis are often similar to the symptoms of other diseases of the urogenital tract of bacterial, viral and other etiologies. Therefore, the diagnosis of urogenital mycoplasmosis caused by M. hominis faces a number of problems, despite the possibility of using genetic methods for direct determination of the DNA of this microorganism. Aim. Comprehensive analysis of the features of M. hominis and modern methods to determine promising approaches in the diagnosis of urogenital mycoplasmosis caused by this microorganism. Methods. Search and systematization of modern scientific data and results on the features of the detection of mycoplasmas in the literature, covering numerous databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar and other relevant sources. Results. A comprehensive analysis of the features of the morphology, genetics and mechanisms of interaction with the human body of M. hominis was carried out. The possibilities of modern methods for detecting this pathogen of urogenital mycoplasmosis are considered, including genetic, immunological, immunocytochemical, immunohistochemical methods, as well as immunochromatographic tests, lateral flow assays or rapid tests. Conclusions. The complexity of detecting M. hominis in the process of diagnosing urogenital mycoplasmosis is due to the morphological and genetic features of the pathogen, various mechanisms of masking from the immune system, its presence in the human body normally and in combination with other pathogens. The most effective strategy for detecting mycoplasmas in the diagnosis of diseases is the simultaneous determination of their antigens in urogenital samples and antibodies in the blood, which can also be a guideline for improving or developing new complex test systems.