Simultaneous molecular detection of Neisseria meningitidis and Haemophilus influenzae

Authors
Abdolhossein Dalimi 1
Habibollah Payekari 2
Majid Esmaeilzadeh 3
Mohsen Valizadeh 4
Gholam Reza Karimi 2
Gholam Reza Motemedi 4
Mohammad Abdi Ghodarzi 2
1 Professor, Department of Parasitology, School of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
2 Assistant Professor, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Razi Vaccine and Serum Research, karaj, Iran
3 Instructor, Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Razi Vaccine and Serum Research, karaj, Iran
4 Instructor, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Razi Vaccine and Serum Research, karaj, Iran
Abstract
Objective: Bacterial meningitis is a dangerous and sometimes fatal infection that affects the central nervous system. Because some antibiotics can prevent some types of these Bacteria and supress them from spreading and infecting, therefore it is important to know what type of virus or bacterium is causing meningitis.
Haemophilus influenzae and Neisseria meningitides are the two main pathogens causinig acute bacterial meningitis. Different methods are used for the detection of H. influenzae and N. meningitidis but they are of low sensitivity, taking long time and difficult to perform. Therefore, complementary methods are necessary for more sensitive detection of these agents.
Materials and Methods: In this study, a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (mPCR) assay was developed for detection of H. influenzae and N. meningitidis. These strains were confirmed by biochemical methods. Two specific primer pairs were designed for lic-1 and opa genes of H. influenzae and N. meningitidis respectively.
Results: DNA amplification product fragments were 150 bp and 320 bp for H. influenzae and
N. meningitidis, respectively. Streptococcus pneumoniae used as a negative control and did not yield a PCR product.
Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that PCR is a useful complementary diagnostic technique, especially when Gram stain, culture, or antigenic detection is negative or inconclusive.

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