Use of a reliable PCR assay for the detection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in Peruvian patients.
Neisseria gonorrhoeae is the most common sexually transmitted disease-causing bacterium worldwide. An in-house PCR assay targeting the carbamoyl-phosphate synthase subunit A (carA) gene was developed for the specific detection of N. gonorrhoeae in clinical specimens. Samples from 605 patients were cultured on selective medium and assayed by PCR in a double-blind fashion. Of 605 urethral/cervical samples analysed, 13 were PCR-positive, of which 11 were culture-positive. The PCR showed a sensitivity and specificity of 100% and 99.7% with these samples. PCR targeting the carA gene appears to be a reliable method for the detection of N. gonorrhoeae in clinical specimens.
Mayta
H
H
Department of Microbiology, Asociación Benéfica Proyectos en Informática, Salud, Medicina y Agricultura, AB-PRISMA, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.
Calderon
M
M
Taverna
J
J
Montenegro
S
S
Balqui
J
J
Campos
K
K
Tuero
I
I
Arevalo
J
J
Vivar
A
A
Gilman
R H
RH
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*