[Use of nested PCR in detection of the plague pathogen]

Klin Lab Diagn. 2003 Jul:(7):48-50.
[Article in Russian]

Abstract

Causative agents of plague, i.e. bacterium Yersina pestis (in the subcutaneous tissues of rodents) and their cutaneous parasites need to be isolated to enable plague prevention. A comparatively new method of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) opens up new possibilities of determining Y. pestis just within several hours and without any cultivation. The article contains a description of the PCR-method, which makes it possible to distinguish the culture of Y. pestis from cultures of other microorganism, including speci of Yersina. The method is of the cluster-type, i.e. it is made up of subsequent PC reactions with the substrate for the second reaction being the product of the first one. The cluster nature of the method preconditions a higher sensitivity and specificity versus the ordinary PCR.

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Plague / microbiology*
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Yersinia pestis / genetics*
  • Yersinia pestis / isolation & purification