BACKGROUND Current malaria diagnostic tests, including microscopy and antigen-detecting rapid tests, cannot reliably detect low-density infections. Molecular methods such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) are highly sensitive but remain too complex for field deployment. A new commercial molecular assay based on loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) was assessed for field use. METHODS...

In this paper we present the design, fabrication and test of silicon-glass based PCR chips which amplify specified DNA strands. The design of the chip was optimized to ensure a fast PCR process in terms of thermal cycling speed, biocompatibility, size of reaction chamber and simplicity of fabrication. First tests using a conventional setup for thermocycling show successful DNA amplification in ...

Aim: To assess the suitability, sensitivity and specificity of F gene based RT-PCR for detection of PPRV infection in India. Materials and Methods: A total of 26 blood samples collected from 26 animals suspected for Peste des petits ruminant (PPR) were tested by RTPCR using F1/F2 primers set and then compared with sandwich-ELISA for detection of PPR virus. Results: Out of 26 samples tested RT-P...

BACKGROUND The control of dengue depends solely on the control of the insect vector and efficient diagnosis of human cases as no vaccines or specific treatments are currently available. Existing diagnostic methods for suspected clinical cases are complicated by the short duration of viraemia and by serological cross-reactivity with epitopes from other flaviviruses. OBJECTIVES To evaluate PCR-...

A total of 355 cows were sampled (serum, n = 315; faeces, n = 355; milk, n = 209) from dairy farms located in the Punjab state of India. Faeces and serum/milk samples were screened by acid fast staining and "indigenous ELISA," respectively. IS900 PCR was used to screen faeces and milk samples. Bio-load of MAP in dairy cows was 36.9, 15.6, 16.3, and 14.4%, using microscopy, serum ELISA, milk ELI...

Since traditional diagnosis of dermatophyte infections is slow, we present a rapid new PCR test for detection of Trichophyton spp., Microsporum canis and M. audouinii infections. The performance of the test was evaluated with: 58 dermatophyte isolates; 10 yeast, mould and human DNA control samples; 25 routine specimens from patients suspected of having dermatophytosis; 10 hair specimens from gu...

BACKGROUND Strongyloides stercoralis infection is a neglected tropical disease which can lead to severe symptoms and even death in immunosuppressed people. Unfortunately, its diagnosis is hampered by the lack of a gold standard, as the sensitivity of traditional parasitological tests (including microscopic examination of stool samples and coproculture) is low. Hence, alternative diagnostic meth...

The introduction of PCR technology to the molecular diagnosis of genetic diseases has increased the speed and range of DNA tests available. Previous analyses of dystrophin gene mutations were time consuming, taking weeks to complete, and used radioisotopic methods. Further developments in DNA amplification and post-amplification techniques have made conventional tube PCR redundant. The rapid me...

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used for bovine leukemia virus (BLV) detection in the peripheral leukocytes of the infected bovines. The primers used were designed to amplify a part of env gene of BLV. PCR products were analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis stained by ethidium bromide. The analytical specificity of PCR was confirmed by enzymatic restriction analysis of the PCR product wit...

In many clinical microbiology laboratories, nucleic acid amplification tests such as PCR have become the routine methods for the diagnosis of pertussis. While PCR has greatly increased the ability of laboratories to detect Bordetella pertussis infections, it has also been associated with false-positive results that can, given the tendency of B. pertussis to cause outbreaks, result in unnecessar...