A quantitative high-resolution melt analysis assay was developed to differentiate lymphogranuloma venereum-causing serovars of Chlamydia trachomatis (L1 to L3) from other C. trachomatis serovars (D to K). The detection limit of this assay is approximately 10 copies per reaction, comparable to the limits of other quantitative-PCR-based methods.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAnalysis of atypical meningococci from invasive disease that either (i) did not produce acid from maltose and glucose or (ii) were gamma-glutamyl peptidase test negative for porA and porB DNA variable region (VR) type, multilocus sequence type, and for presence of capsule transport gene ctrA, conclusively demonstrated that these are Neisseria meningitidis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDue to the early administration of antibiotics, meningococcal disease is increasingly difficult to diagnose by culturing. Laboratory studies have shown PCR to be sensitive and specific, but there have been few clinical studies. The objectives of this study were to determine the diagnostic accuracy and clinical usefulness of meningococcal PCR through a prospective comparison of real-time PCR, nested PCR, and standard culturing of blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
View Article and Find Full Text PDF