Detection of Babesia microti parasites by highly sensitive 18S rRNA reverse transcription PCR

Amelia E Hanron; Zachary P Billman; Annette M Seilie; Ming Chang; Sean C Murphy

doi:10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2016.11.021

Detection of Babesia microti parasites by highly sensitive 18S rRNA reverse transcription PCR

Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis. 2017 Mar;87(3):226-228. doi: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2016.11.021. Epub 2016 Dec 5.

Authors

Amelia E Hanron¹, Zachary P Billman², Annette M Seilie¹, Ming Chang¹, Sean C Murphy³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
² Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Center for Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
³ Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Center for Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA. Electronic address: murphysc@uw.edu.

PMID: 27986353
DOI: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2016.11.021

Abstract

Babesia are increasingly appreciated as a cause of transfusion-transmitted infection. Sensitive methods are needed to screen blood products. We report herein that B. microti 18S rRNA is over 1,000-fold more abundant than its coding genes, making reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) much more sensitive than PCR. Babesia 18S rRNA may be useful for screening the blood supply.

Keywords: 18S rRNA; Babesia; Clinical microbiology; Diagnostics; RT-PCR; Transfusion.

MeSH terms

Babesia microti / isolation & purification
Babesiosis / diagnosis*
Cross Infection / blood
Cross Infection / parasitology
DNA, Protozoan / genetics*
DNA, Ribosomal / genetics*
Humans
RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / genetics*
Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods*
Serologic Tests / methods
Transfusion Reaction

Substances

DNA, Protozoan
DNA, Ribosomal
RNA, Ribosomal, 18S