[Detection of Toxoplasma gondii DNA in body fluids by polymerase chain reaction]

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is used for in vitro amplification of specific DNA fragments. The PCR technique is based on the reiteration of a three-step process: denaturation DNA into single strands, annealing primers (specific synthetic oligonucleotides) to the DNA template and enzymatic extension from the primers along the templates. The usefulness of this new technique to the detection of Toxoplasma gondii DNA has been described.