ISSN:
1435-4373
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Abstract The sensitivity and specificity of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detection of DNA sequences specific toShigella spp. and enteroinvasiveEscherichia coli (EIEC) in stools was evaluated. Stool specimens were obtained from patients with acute gastroenteritis before and after antibiotic treatment. Fecal material was pre-incubated in phosphate-buffered saline, gram-negative broth or brain heart infusion (BHI) broth, and DNA was extracted and amplified. Primers complementary to theial or thevirF loci of the 140 MDa plasmid ofShigella were evaluated. The highest sensitivity for detection ofShigella DNA in stools (higher than that of culture) was reached by pre-incubation of the fecal material in BHI broth and use ofvirF primers for amplification. The specificity of this PCR protocol was documented by the negative results obtained with non-Shigella enteric organisms. These findings point out the important diagnostic and epidemiologic potential of thevirF-specific PCR protocol in the investigation ofShigella infections.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01974542
Permalink