title: Use of a reliable PCR assay for the detection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in Peruvian patients.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Asociación Benéfica Proyectos en Informática, Salud, Medicina y Agricultura, AB-PRISMA, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mayta
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Calderon
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Taverna
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Montenegro
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Balqui
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Campos
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tuero
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arevalo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vivar
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Gilman
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*