Polymerase chain reaction assay for diagnosis of potentially toxinogenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae strains: correlation with ADP-ribosylation activity assay.

摘要: We have developed a polymerase chain reaction assay for the clinical diagnosis of potentially toxinogenic strains Corynebacterium diphtheriae, causative agent diphtheria. A 910-bp amplification product, overlapping DNA portion encoding both fragments diphtheria toxin, has been found in 28 among 36 tested. In addition, effective toxin production, as evidenced by ability bacterial culture supernatants to ADP ribosylate eukaryotic elongation factor 2, was determined. every case, presence an product correlated with ADP-ribosylation activity, thus confirming diagnosis. The herein described is very rapid (2 h) compared Elek immunodiffusion test or guinea pig lethality test. It can provide convenient and reliable method laboratories involved identification corynebacteria. Images