Development of a nested PCR for detection of Cryptococcus neoformans in cerebrospinal fluid.
We report the development of a nested-PCR-based assay for the detection of Cryptococcus neoformans in cerebrospinal fluid. The specificity and sensitivity of the test were assessed. The technique was then applied to 40 cerebrospinal fluid samples. We obtained positive reactions for all 21 clinical samples from patients who had been previously diagnosed as having cryptococcal meningitis by conventional techniques and negative reactions for all 19 negative controls. Nested PCR is here compared with other diagnostic methods currently used in patients' follow-up exams during anticryptococcal therapy.
Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Experimental and Clinical Microbiology, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy. micropat@ssmain.uniss.it
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D001483:Base Sequence; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000382:microbiology*; D003453:Cryptococcosis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology*; D003455:Cryptococcus neoformans / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D009172:Mycology / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D017931:DNA Primers