Serum is the preferred clinical specimen for diagnosis of human brucellosis by PCR.
Human brucellosis poses a significant public health problem in many developing countries and requires fast and accurate diagnosis. A PCR assay amplifying part of the 31-kDa Brucella abortus antigenic protein gene sequence was developed and applied to whole-blood and serum samples from 31 brucellosis patients and 45 healthy individuals. All patients except one had detectable Brucella DNA in either whole blood or serum (combined sensitivity, 97%), but the assay sensitivity was higher with serum samples (94%) than with whole-blood samples (61%). The assay specificity was excellent (100%). A confirmatory PCR assay targeting another Brucella gene region (omp-2) was also developed but lacked sensitivity. Serum is the optimal specimen for the diagnosis of brucellosis by PCR, a choice that leads to assay simplification and shortens turnaround time.
Department of Microbiology, Medical School, National University of Athens, Athens, Greece. lzerva@cc.uoa.gr
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Zerva
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Bourantas
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S
Mitka
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Kansouzidou
N J
NJ
Legakis
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001769:Blood / Q000382:microbiology*; D002003:Brucella abortus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D004269:DNA, Bacterial