Detection of a mixed infection in a culture-negative brain abscess by broad-spectrum bacterial 16S rRNA gene PCR

J Clin Microbiol. 2010 Jun;48(6):2250-2. doi: 10.1128/JCM.01922-09. Epub 2010 Apr 14.

Abstract

We describe the identification of two bacterial pathogens from a culture-negative brain abscess by the use of broad-spectrum 16S rRNA gene PCR. Simultaneous detection of Fusobacterium nucleatum and Porphyromonas endodontalis was possible due to a 24-bp length difference of their partially amplified 16S rRNA genes, which allowed separation by high-resolution polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Brain Abscess / microbiology*
  • Cluster Analysis
  • DNA, Bacterial / chemistry
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • DNA, Bacterial / isolation & purification
  • DNA, Ribosomal / chemistry
  • DNA, Ribosomal / genetics
  • DNA, Ribosomal / isolation & purification
  • Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel
  • Fusobacterium nucleatum / classification
  • Fusobacterium nucleatum / genetics
  • Fusobacterium nucleatum / isolation & purification*
  • Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / diagnosis*
  • Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / microbiology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Phylogeny
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Porphyromonas endodontalis / classification
  • Porphyromonas endodontalis / genetics
  • Porphyromonas endodontalis / isolation & purification*
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / genetics
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA

Substances

  • DNA, Bacterial
  • DNA, Ribosomal
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S

Associated data

  • GENBANK/FJ638887