Rapid Detection of Mycobacteria in Patients with HIV Infection

摘要

The Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), along with hybridization to chemiluminescentDNA probes, was used to detect Mycobacteria potentially present in patient specimens from the Mycobacteriology Laboratory at Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC). DNA from specimens were prepared by two different methods, and used in the PCR amplifications. Primers were evaluated using both known and unknown (blinded) samples. With known samples, the genus specific primers detected 74% of Mycobacteria positive samples, while the M. tuberculosis primers were able to amplify M. Tuberculosis DNA in 59% of the positive samples. With the blinded samples, the genus specific primers were able to detect Mycobacterial sequences in 3 of 8 (37.5%) of the Mycobacteria-containing samples. There were no M. tuberculosis containing specimens in the blinded samples, and all samples were negative for M. tuberculosis by PCR.