Comparison of two different PCR amplification products (the 18-kDa protein gene vs. RLEP repetitive sequence) in the diagnosis of Mycobacterium leprae.
Clin Exp Dermatol
; 28(4): 420-4, 2003 Jul.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-12823306
ABSTRACT
To determine the best molecular method for diagnosing leprosy, two sets of Mycobacterium leprae-specific primers were compared. Fresh biopsies and slit skin smear samples were obtained from 67 leprosy patients and examined by touchdown (TD) PCR using primers amplifying either a 129-bp fragment of the RLEP repetitive sequence or a 360-bp fragment of the 18-kDa protein gene of M. leprae. Seventeen of 30 (56.7%) biopsy specimens and four of 37 (10.8%) slit skin smear specimens were positive using the primer for the 18-kDa protein gene, whereas 24 of 30 (80%) biopsy and 27 of 37 (73%) slit skin smear samples showed detectable PCR products in the RLEP repetitive sequence. Twenty-one of 31 cases (67.7%) with a bacterial index of zero were PCR positive for the primer RLEP repetitive sequence. These results demonstrate that detection of M. leprae using PCR with primers to a RLEP sequence is more sensitive and specific than PCR with the 18-kDa protein gene primers and also slit smears with acid fast staining. PCR of RLEP repetitive sequences is therefore a useful means of detecting M. leprae DNA even when it is present at very low levels.
Buscar no Google
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Proteínas de Bactérias
/
Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase
/
Hanseníase
/
Mycobacterium leprae
Tipo de estudo:
Diagnostic_studies
Limite:
Humans
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Clin Exp Dermatol
Ano de publicação:
2003
Tipo de documento:
Article