title: Direct polymerase chain reaction for detection of toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae strains from the Republic of Georgia after prolonged storage.
abstract: A total of 226 paired nose and throat swab specimens from 113 clinical diphtheria cases from the republic of Georgia were analyzed by direct polymerase chain reaction targeting both A and B subunits of the diphtheria toxin gene, tox. Even after prolonged transport and extensive storage (7-14 months) of the clinical specimens in silica gel packages, direct polymerase chain reaction detected the diphtheria tox gene in 54% of the specimens. Specimens obtained by throat swab were three times more likely than those obtained by nose swab to be positive for Corynebacterium diphtheriae.
authors.affiliation: Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Public Health Service, US Department of Health and Human Services, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kobaidze
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Popovic
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakao
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Quick
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003353:Corynebacterium diphtheriae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004165:Diphtheria / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D004167:Diphtheria Toxin / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005846:Georgia (Republic) / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D009666:Nose / Q000382:microbiology; D010614:Pharynx / Q000382:microbiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D013048:Specimen Handling
chemical_list: D004167:Diphtheria Toxin