title: nspA gene as a specific genetic marker for detection of Neisseria meningitidis causing bacterial meningitis.
abstract: Bacterial meningitis caused by Neisseria meningitidis which causes human brain meninges damage, is generally diagnosed from patient cerebrospinal fluid through microscopy, immunological assays, biochemical test, PCR, microarray and biosensors. However, these methods are expensive, time-consuming or non-confirmatory due to certain limitations. A quick PCR based method was developed for detection of bacterial meningitis caused by N. meningitidis using specific primers based on amplification of virulence nspA (Neisseria surface protein A) gene partial sequence (202 bp). The nspA gene amplicon could be used as a genetic marker for minimum detection of 10 ng genomic DNA (G-DNA) of N. meningitidis with high sensitivity only in 80 min, which is least time reported for the confirmation of the disease. However, the lower detection limit was found as low as 1.0 ng G-DNA, but with less sensitivity. The cross-reactivity of the genetic marker, was also studied with other possible pathogens. A comparison with the presently available detection methods and our method was also done using patient samples.
authors.forename: Neha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bhatt
authors.forename: Nazneen
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Sandip K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Dash
authors.forename: Shashi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khare
authors.forename: Ashok
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kumar
mesh_terms: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D005819:Genetic Markers / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D005819:Genetic Markers; C105506:NspA protein, Neisseria