Rapid identification of Streptococcus pneumoniae by PCR amplification of ribosomal DNA spacer region

FEMS Microbiol Lett. 1995 Oct 1;132(1-2):165-70. doi: 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1995.tb07827.x.

Abstract

Streptococcus pneumoniae is one of the important human pathogens in clinical microbiology. A polymerase chain reaction assay was designed to detect and identify S. pneumoniae through amplification of the ribosomal DNA spacer regions between the pneumococcal 16S-23S ribosomal RNA genes. Thirty-two Streptococcus and non-Streptococcus strains were tested to verify the specificity of the assay, and only S. pneumoniae strains gave a positive reaction. This method is a powerful technique for the rapid identification of S. pneumoniae.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Bacteriological Techniques
  • Base Sequence
  • Child, Preschool
  • DNA, Bacterial / chemistry
  • DNA, Ribosomal / chemistry*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Pneumococcal Infections / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Pneumococcal Infections / diagnosis*
  • Pneumococcal Infections / genetics
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction*
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Streptococcus pneumoniae / genetics
  • Streptococcus pneumoniae / isolation & purification*

Substances

  • DNA, Bacterial
  • DNA, Ribosomal