Differential diagnosis of disseminated and infection in HIV patients using duplex PCR.

Disseminated complex (MAC) and infections have almost similar clinical presentations but require different therapeutic management. A duplex PCR was designed based on the sequence variation between the genes encoding catalase-peroxidase (KatG) of complex and , so as to discriminate MAC, and mixed mycobacterial (MAC + ) infections in HIV patients. An accurate, single-step differential diagnosis of disseminated mycobacterial infections in HIV patients was achieved with specific detection of a single band each for (120 bp) and  (90 bp) and two bands for the mixed (120 and 90 bp) infections. gene-based duplex PCR can facilitate quick differential diagnosis of disseminated MAC and infections in HIV patients.