title: Specific identification of Bordetella pertussis by the polymerase chain reaction.
abstract: Oligonucleotide primers were used to amplify specific DNA regions of the Bordetella pertussis genome by the polymerase chain reaction. One pair of primers, PTp1/PTp2, identified a 191-bp DNA fragment located in the regulatory region of the pertussis toxin operon; a second pair of primers led to amplification of a 121-bp DNA piece located in an insertion-like element specific to B. pertussis. Both sets of primers were able to discriminate between the pathogen and related Bordetella species; they detected down to 6 bacteria and appeared suitable for routine detection of B. pertussis in clinical specimens.
authors.affiliation: Service for Applied Genetics, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Nivelles, Belgium.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Houard
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hackel
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Herzog
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bollen
mesh_terms: D001886:Bordetella pertussis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004247:DNA; D005784:Gene Amplification; D015698:Genomic Library; D006801:Humans; D009841:Oligonucleotides; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014917:Whooping Cough / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D009841:Oligonucleotides; D004247:DNA