[Application of multiplex polymerase chain reaction in rapid identification of Mycobacterium bovis BCG].

Objective: To establish a method for the rapid identification of Mycobacterium bovis BCG.

Methods: A genomic region designated RD1 was found to be deleted from BCG strains, but present in other strains of Mycobacterium bovis and other members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC) including Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium africanum, and Mycobacterium microti. With this information, a multiplex PCR method, developed to detect the deletion of RD1, was used to differentiate BCG strains from other strains of Mycobacterium bovis and other members of MTC.