title: Use of a novel multiplex probe array for rapid identification of Mycobacterium species from clinical isolates.
abstract: Conventional identification of mycobacteria is based on the analysis of their phenotypic and biochemical characteristics after culture; thus this method is time-consuming, laborious, and is not always conclusive. Developing a fast and accurate method for rapid identification of Mycobacterium species is in urgent need for early diagnosis of mycobacteriosis and effective patient management. In this study, an efficient and affordable novel multiplex probe array which allows simultaneous identification of 15 medically important mycobacterial species was developed. A pair of genus-specific primers and a set of genus- and species-specific probes were designed according to the conserved and polymorphic regions of the 16S rRNA gene, internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence, and 23S rRNA gene of mycobacteria. This probe array was applied for the identification of 78 clinical mycobacterial isolates recovered from Henan, China. The results showed that the specificity and sensitivity of the probe array were 100% for both genus-specific probe and Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex-specific probe. Among 52 isolates of nontuberculous mycobacteria, 43 isolates (82.7%) can be rapidly identified to the species level. Genetic variability of 16S-23S rRNA gene ITS region in M. avium, M. intracellulare, M. chelonae, M. abscessus and M. fortuitum were analyzed. With the accumulation of the sequences of ITS identified and further optimization of probes, the multiplex probe array has the potential to be developed into a practical tool for rapid and accurate identification of mycobacterial species in clinical laboratory.
authors: College of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bio-resource and Bio-control, Sichuan University, 29# Wangjianglu St., Chengdu, Sichuan, 610064, China.|Research Center for Tuberculosis, Henan Chest Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
authors: Shu-Lin
authors: SL
authors: Zhang
authors: College of Basic Education, Nanyang Institute of Technology, Nanyang, Henan, China.
authors: Jian-Guo
authors: JG
authors: Shen
authors: Division of Chest Medicine, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan, China.
authors: Gwan-Han
authors: GH
authors: Shen
authors: Department of Microbiology, Henan Chest Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
authors: Zhan-Qiang
authors: ZQ
authors: Sun
authors: Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biotechnology, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
authors: Ping-Hui
authors: PH
authors: Xu
authors: Research Center for Tuberculosis, Henan Chest Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
authors: Yi-Li
authors: YL
authors: Peng
authors: College of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bio-resource and Bio-control, Sichuan University, 29# Wangjianglu St., Chengdu, Sichuan, 610064, China.
authors: Zhi-Rong
authors: ZR
authors: Yang
authors: College of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bio-resource and Bio-control, Sichuan University, 29# Wangjianglu St., Chengdu, Sichuan, 610064, China. qunqunsun2002@yahoo.com.cn.
authors: Qun
authors: Q
authors: Sun
keywords: Internal transcribed spacer; Isolates; Mycobacterium; Probe; Species identification; Variability