[Establishment and application of PCR method in serotyping of Streptococcus pneumonia.]

To establish a method based on PCR for serotyping of Streptococcus pneumonia isolates. PCR serotyping method was applied for investigating the serotypes of S. pneumonia strains.

12 pairs of primers targeting different serotypes of S. pneumonia were designed and synthesized. After optimizing the PCR amplification reaction, sensitivity and specificity of each pair was performed. We applied the PCR methods for testing the serotypes of the isolated S. pneumonia strains.

Each pair of primers showed satisfied PCR sensitivity and specificity. Of all 119 S. pneumonia strains tested by PCR serotyping method, 113 isolates were identified (3, 5, 6A/B, 9A/V, 14, 18, 19A, 19F, 23F) with 6 isolates were unable to be serotyped.

We developed a simple, reliable and economic method for S. pneumonia serotyping which could be used for testing the serotypes of S. pneumonia that had been prevailed among general population.