title: [Application of PCR-RFLP in the diagnosis of non-tuberculous mycobacteria].
abstract: The amplification of a fragment from hsp65 gene by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis with BstEll and Haelll restriction enzymes has demonstrated to be very useful for identification of Non-Tuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM). The biochemical tests as well as the PCR-RFLP were carried out in 13 reference strains and 46 strains received in the laboratory. The results by biochemical tests were available in 4-6 weeks whereas the PCR-RFLP only required 48 hours. In both methods, Mycobacterium intracellulare, M. kansasii and M. fortuitum were the most frequently detected species. The PCR-RFLP method is fast, cheap and simple. Its application in Reference Laboratories could be very useful for diagnosis of NTM.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio Nacional de Referencia e Investigación de Micobacterias y Tuberculosis, Instituto de Medicina Tropical Pedro Kourí (IPK), La Habana, Cuba.
authors.forename: Sergio L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Yzquierdo S
authors.forename: Liliam
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mederos C
authors.forename: Alexis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Díaz G
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Echemendia F
authors.forename: Ernesto
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Montoro C
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D009165:Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D009170:Nontuberculous Mycobacteria / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length