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Identification and Semiquantitation of Mycobacterium avium Using a Competitive PCR Method
Author(s) -
Hashimoto Toru,
Suzuki Katsuhiro
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
microbiology and immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.664
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1348-0421
pISSN - 0385-5600
DOI - 10.1111/j.1348-0421.1999.tb01216.x
Subject(s) - biology , polymerase chain reaction , dot blot , mycobacterium , nontuberculous mycobacteria , mycobacterium marinum , microbiology and biotechnology , bacteria , southern blot , hybridization probe , dna , virology , gene , genetics
A competitive PCR method with standard DNA (MIMIC) was developed for the rapid detection and semiquantitation of Mycobacterium avium ( M. avium ) using primers specific for the alpha antigen sequence of the bacteria. DNA from both M. avium and Mycobacterium marinum was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), but only M. avium could be detected by subsequent blotting confirmation with a probe specific for the bacteria. With the PCR and subsequent dot blot hybridization, as little as 10 fg of the M. avium DNA could be detected, equivalent to about 2 cells of the mycobacteria. In addition, we could distinguish 10 5 CFUs of M. avium from 10 4 CFUs or less by competitive PCR using a MIMIC. The present competitive PCR test enabled rapid identification and semiquantitation of M. avium , and could be used clinically to monitor disease severity and response to treatment of human M. avium disease.