The molecular epidemiology of 66 NDM-producing isolates from 2 Pakistani hospitals was investigated, with their genetic relatedness determined using repetitive sequence-based PCR (Rep-PCR). PCR-based replicon typing and screening for antibiotic resistance genes encoding carbapenemases, other β-lactamases, and 16S methylases were also performed. Rep-PCR suggested a clonal spread of Enterobacter ...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate broad-range 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as a rapid screening tool to detect bacterial contamination of stem-cell products. METHODS We performed the evaluation using whole blood spiked with serially diluted bacterial-type strains. Detection sensitivity was defined as the bacterial concentration for which all replicates were positive at each co...

The RDP Classifier is a widely used bioinformatic program that performs taxonomic classification of 16S rRNA gene sequences. However, the accuracy of the program is not clear when it is applied to common PCR products of the 16S rRNA variable regions, which are heavily used in microbiome projects. In this study, fulllength 16S rRNA gene alignments from the SILVA database were used to simulate th...

Quantification of RCA phylotypes We developed a specific PCR approach to estimate the abundance of the RCA phylotypes relative to total bacterial 16S rRNA genes based on serial dilution of extracted DNA. Alternate 1:5 and 1:2 dilution steps to extinction were applied in triplicates, to 10-fold dilution or higher. PCRs with bacterial and RCA-specific primers were performed simultaneously using 6...

A real-time PCR assay was developed for rapid detection of eubacterial 16S ribosomal DNA in platelet concentrates. The sensitivity of this assay can be hampered by contaminating DNA in the PCR reagents. Digestion of the PCR reagents with Sau3AI prior to PCR amplification was effective in eliminating this contaminating DNA without affecting the sensitivity of the assay.

Objective(s) Rapid tests for detection of Streptococcus agalactiae or Group B Streptococci (GBS) at the onset of labor are needed to permit early intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis. This study aimed to evaluate the PCR assays targeting the 16S ribosomal RNA gene (16S rDNA) for detection of the GBS in comparison with a specific culture method. Materials and Methods Two swabs were used to obtain ...

BACKGROUND The lack of an effective diagnostic tool for Carrion's disease leads to misdiagnosis, wrong treatments and perpetuation of asymptomatic carriers living in endemic areas. Conventional PCR approaches have been reported as a diagnostic technique. However, the detection limit of these techniques is not clear as well as if its usefulness in low bacteriemia cases. The aim of this study was...