title: Species-specific PCR for the Diagnosis and Determination of Antibiotic Susceptibilities ofBrucellaStrains Isolated from Tehran, Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Brucellosis is an endemic zoonotic disease in the Middle East. This study intended to design a uniplex PCR assay for the detection and differentiation ofBrucellaat the species level and determining the antibiotic susceptibility pattern ofBrucellain Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-eight Brucella specimens (38 animal and 30 human specimens) were analyzed using PCR (using one pair of primers). Antibiotic susceptibility patterns were evaluated and compared using the E-Test and disk diffusion susceptibility test. Tigecycline susceptibility pattern was compared with other antibiotics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty six isolates ofB. melitensis, 2 isolates ofB. abortusand 1 isolate ofB. suisfrom the 38 animal specimens, 24 isolates ofB. melitensisand 6 isolates ofB. abortusfrom the 30 human specimens were differentiated. The MIC50values of doxycycline for human and animal specimens were 125 and 10 μg/ml, respectively, tigecycline 0.064 μg/ml for human specimens and 0.125μg/ml for animal specimens, and trimethoprim/ sulfamethoxazole and ciprofloxacin 0.065 and 0.125μg/ml, respectively, for both human and animal specimens. The highest MIC50value of streptomycin in the human specimens was 0.5μg/ml and 1μg/ml for the animal specimens. The greatest resistance shown was to tetracycline and gentamicin, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Uniplex PCR for the detection and differentiation of Brucella at the strain level is faster and less expensive than multiplex PCR, and the antibiotics doxycycline, rifampin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, ciprofloxacin, and ofloxacin are the most effective antibiotics for treating brucellosis. Resistance to tigecycline is increasing, and we recommend that it be used in a combination regimen.
authors: Dept. of Microbiology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran. Iran.
authors: Gholam Reza
authors: GR
authors: Irajian
authors: Dept. of Microbiology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran. Iran.
authors: Faramarz
authors: F
authors: Masjedian Jazi
authors: Molecular Biology Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Reza
authors: R
authors: Mirnejad
authors: Molecular Biology Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Vahhab
authors: V
authors: Piranfar
authors: Dept. of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Taghi
authors: T
authors: Zahraei Salehi
authors: Dept. of Microbiology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran. Iran.
authors: Noor
authors: N
authors: Amir Mozafari
authors: Dept. of Microbiology and Immunology, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran.
authors: Ehsanollah
authors: E
authors: Ghaznavi-Rad
authors: Dept. of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Mahmoud
authors: M
authors: Khormali
keywords: Antibiotic Susceptibilities; Brucella; Tigecycline; Uniplex PCR