Duplex detection of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex and medically important non-tuberculosis mycobacteria by real-time PCR based on the rnpB gene

APMIS. 2016 Nov;124(11):991-995. doi: 10.1111/apm.12598. Epub 2016 Sep 28.

Abstract

A duplex real-time PCR based on the rnpB gene was developed for Mycobacterium spp. The assay was specific for the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTB) and also detected all 19 tested species of non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). The assay was evaluated on 404 clinical samples: 290 respiratory samples and 114 from tissue and other non-respiratory body sites. M. tuberculosis was detected by culture in 40 samples and in 30 samples by the assay. The MTB assay showed a sensitivity similar to Roche Cobas Amplicor MTB-PCR (Roche Molecular Systems, Pleasanton, CA, USA). There were only nine samples with non-tuberculous mycobacteria detected by culture. Six of them were detected by the PCR assay.

Keywords: Mycobacterium tuberculosis; non-tuberculosis mycobacteria; real-time PCR; rnpB.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Molecular Diagnostic Techniques / methods*
  • Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods
  • Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / diagnosis*
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / genetics
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / isolation & purification*
  • Nontuberculous Mycobacteria / genetics
  • Nontuberculous Mycobacteria / isolation & purification*
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods*
  • Ribonuclease P / genetics*
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Tuberculosis / diagnosis*

Substances

  • Ribonuclease P