title: Detection of microbial nucleic acids for diagnostic purposes.
abstract: The last decade has seen an explosion of interest in the use of molecular genetic techniques to diagnose infectious diseases. Specific molecular probes have been developed for nearly all of the significant, known microbial pathogens. The evolution of incrementally more powerful technologies, particularly gene amplification, has made it possible to detect pathogens with exquisite sensitivity, as well as specificity, based on their nucleic acids. As increasingly rapid and automated methods have become incorporated into successive generations of probe tests, these diagnostics have gained increasing acceptance for routine clinical use.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor 48109.
authors.forename: N C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Engleberg
authors.forename: B I
authors.initials: BI
authors.lastname: Eisenstein
mesh_terms: D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics; D015342:DNA Probes; D006801:Humans; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D015342:DNA Probes