Journal
DIAGNOSTIC MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE
Volume 73, Issue 2, Pages 111-120Publisher
ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC
DOI: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2012.02.022
Keywords
DT tox gene; rpoB gene; FRET real-time PCR; Toxigenic and nontoxigenic Corynebacterium strains Corynebacterium diphtheriae; Corynebacterium ulcerans; Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis
Categories
Funding
- European Commission DG SANCO [2005210 DIPNET]
- Italian Ministry of Health (CCM)
Ask authors/readers for more resources
With the recognition of several diphtheria outbreaks and the emergence of nontoxigenic corynebacteria strains, there has been renewed interest in the development of laboratory diagnostic methods. Previously reported polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays can have low diagnostic sensitivity or give species misidentifications among clinical isolates. The aim of the present study was the development of combined real-time PCR assays, based on the tax and rpoB genes, for the detection and differentiation of toxigenic and nontoxigenic corynebacteria. By the PCR tox assay, it was possible to perform the direct identification of DT tax gene of Corynebacterium diphtheriae and Corynebacterium ulcerans, while the PCR rpoB assay differentiated C. diphtheriae from C ulcerans, irrespective of their toxigenic status. In addition, we detected the DT toxin of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis for the first time. These assays revealed high sensitivity, specificity, and reproducibility, and the availability of plasmid controls will facilitate further research into the diagnostics of diphtheria corynebacteria. Published by Elsevier Inc.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available