Nested polymerase chain reaction on vaginal smears of tuberculous cervicitis. A case report.
BACKGROUND
Tuberculous cervicitis (TC) is a rare disease the diagnosis of which is based on the microscopic and/or cultural recognition of mycobacteria. In recent years, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), especially with double-round amplification ("nested" PCR [nPCR]), has been increasingly used for rapid detection of mycobacteria in clinical samples.


METHODS
The present case is the first example of tuberculosis diagnosed with the aid of nPCR amplification of mycobacterial DNA fragments on smeared and Papanicolaou-stained cytologic material. First detected on vaginal smears, the amplicon IS6110 was subsequently identified also on paraffin-embedded tissue sections.


CONCLUSIONS
The technique described here could also be applied to aspiration cytology smears to give rapid and accurate information on mycobacterial infections.
Ferrara
G
G
Pathologic Anatomy Service, Gaetano Rummo City Hospital, Benevento, Italy.
Cannone
M
M
Guadagnino
A
A
Nappi
O
O
Barberis
M C
MC
D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D002575:Uterine Cervicitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000379:methods
D004269:DNA, Bacterial