title: Evaluation of a real-time polymerase chain reaction assay for the detection of Dientamoeba fragilis.
abstract: The diagnostic value of a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay targeting the 5.8S rDNA of Dientamoeba fragilis was investigated as compared with conventional parasitologic methods including cultivation testing 959 fecal samples from 491 patients attending a tertiary-care hospital and suspected of having an intestinal parasitosis. The real-time PCR assay revealed 117 additional D. fragilis-positive samples as compared with conventional methods, showing 100% sensitivity and specificity in our experience. On the whole, D. fragilis infection was detected in 186 samples from 105 patients (21.4%, third in frequency among the diagnosed intestinal parasitoses). The evaluated real-time PCR assay represents an effective tool to obtain both an accurate diagnosis and a reliable epidemiologic picture of dientamoebiasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Section of Microbiology, University Hospital of Parma, Parma, Italy. adriana.calderaro@unipr.it
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Calderaro
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gorrini
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Montecchini
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Peruzzi
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Piccolo
authors.forename: Sabina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gargiulo
authors.forename: Nino
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Manca
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dettori
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chezzi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004029:Dientamoeba / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004030:Dientamoebiasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010274:Parasitology / Q000379:methods*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D016053:RNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D012340:RNA, Ribosomal, 5.8S / Q000235:genetics; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D016053:RNA, Protozoan; D012340:RNA, Ribosomal, 5.8S