title: DNA diagnosis of pulmonary infections: particular emphasis on Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
abstract: The past two decades have brought significant changes to the clinical laboratory. Microbiologists now have highly sensitive, rapid and specific molecular methods of identifying infectious agents by the direct detection of DNA or RNA sequences unique to a particular organism. Advanced DNA technology such as nucleic-acid hybridization, PCR and DNA fingerprinting have been used in the direct detection of causative organisms in clinical specimens, with resultant benefits such as increased sensitivity and specificity of the diagnostic approach and reduction of turnaround time. This review outlines a brief description of the various DNA diagnostic tools used in the detection of pulmonary infections with emphasis on their applications in the diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Republic of Singapore.
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Tan
mesh_terms: D016172:DNA Fingerprinting; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005821:Genetic Techniques; D006801:Humans; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000235:genetics*; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial