Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 1997 Jul;35(7):1651-5.
doi: 10.1128/jcm.35.7.1651-1655.1997.

Development of a direct PCR assay for detection of the diphtheria toxin gene

H Nakao  1 , T Popovic
Affiliations

Development of a direct PCR assay for detection of the diphtheria toxin gene

H Nakao et al. J Clin Microbiol. 1997 Jul.

Abstract

PCR has proved to be a reliable tool for the detection of the diphtheria toxin gene, tox, and its use has allowed for the rapid differentiation between toxigenic and nontoxigenic strains. In this study, this PCR was further developed, evaluated, and standardized to detect this gene directly from clinical specimens. Optimal conditions for collection, transport, and storage of the clinical specimens and isolation and purification of DNA from the clinical specimens were defined. With two sets of primers that detect the A and B subunits of the diphtheria toxin gene, sensitivity levels of 50 and 500 CFU/PCR mixture, respectively, were achieved. This PCR was evaluated with 162 clinical samples collected from patients with diphtheria and other upper respiratory tract infections, as well as from healthy individuals.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Res Microbiol. 1992 Oct;143(8):785-90 - PubMed
    1. Vaccine. 1993;11(5):576-7 - PubMed
    1. J Clin Microbiol. 1993 Oct;31(10):2720-3 - PubMed
    1. J Clin Pathol. 1994 Apr;47(4):353-6 - PubMed
    1. J Clin Microbiol. 1994 Nov;32(11):2725-8 - PubMed

MeSH terms

Substances

LinkOut - more resources