Related Experiment Videos
Rapid diagnosis of coccidioidomycosis with a DNA probe to ribosomal RNA
J S Beard1, P M Benson, L Skillman
1Dermatology Service, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, DC.
Background:
Although nucleic acid probe hybridization assays were previously exclusively used as a tool in the research setting, such assays have recently become commercially available for the detection of a variety of infectious microorganisms.
Observations:
We used a commercially available DNA hybridization probe test that targets organism-specific ribosomal RNA sequences to rapidly diagnose a patient with disseminated coccidioidomycosis. The natural amplification inherent to such DNA:RNA probe systems obviates the need for electrophoretic separation and amplification steps, which are often required in more traditional DNA:DNA probe assays. With this probe, culture confirmation was obtained within 48 hours after the clinical specimens were received.
Conclusion:
Rapid DNA hybridization probe techniques have wide application in infectious diseases, especially those characterized by slow culture growth of pathogens such as deep fungi and atypical mycobacteria.