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Nested polymerase chain reaction on vaginal smears of tuberculous cervicitis. A case report
G Ferrara1, M Cannone, A Guadagnino
1Pathologic Anatomy Service, Gaetano Rummo City Hospital, Benevento, Italy.
Background:
Tuberculous cervicitis (TC) is a rare disease the diagnosis of which is based on the microscopic and/or cultural recognition of mycobacteria. In recent years, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), especially with double-round amplification ("nested" PCR [nPCR]), has been increasingly used for rapid detection of mycobacteria in clinical samples.
Case:
The present case is the first example of tuberculosis diagnosed with the aid of nPCR amplification of mycobacterial DNA fragments on smeared and Papanicolaou-stained cytologic material. First detected on vaginal smears, the amplicon IS6110 was subsequently identified also on paraffin-embedded tissue sections.
Conclusion:
The technique described here could also be applied to aspiration cytology smears to give rapid and accurate information on mycobacterial infections.