Development and validation of a molecular method for the diagnosis of medically important fungal infections

New Microbiol. 2007 Jul;30(3):308-12.

Abstract

The increasing incidence of severe fungal infections highlights the need for rapid and precise identification methods in clinical mycology. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a culture-indipendent molecular approach that could allow the detection of fungal pathogens in clinical samples, with particular attention to the identification of drug-resistant Candida and Aspergillus species. A real-time multiplex PCR assay was developed using TaqMan probes specific for highly discriminating ITS sequences. In its multiplex format the assay showed a high specificity, clearly discriminating among different species, as well as a high sensitivity (20 CFU/1 mL sample), making it a potentially useful starting point for the development of a more complete molecular diagnostic assay.

MeSH terms

  • Antifungal Agents
  • Aspergillus / drug effects
  • Candida / drug effects
  • DNA Probes
  • DNA, Fungal / genetics
  • DNA, Intergenic
  • DNA, Ribosomal / genetics
  • DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / genetics
  • Drug Resistance, Fungal
  • Fungi / genetics
  • Fungi / isolation & purification*
  • Humans
  • Mycoses / diagnosis*
  • Mycoses / microbiology
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods*
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Taq Polymerase

Substances

  • Antifungal Agents
  • DNA Probes
  • DNA, Fungal
  • DNA, Intergenic
  • DNA, Ribosomal
  • DNA, Ribosomal Spacer
  • Taq Polymerase