Queipo-Ortuño, María IsabelMorata, PilarOcón, PilarManchado, PedroColmenero, Juan de Dios2016-03-022016-03-021997-11Queipo-Ortuño MI, Morata P, Ocón P, Manchado P, Colmenero JD. Rapid diagnosis of human brucellosis by peripheral-blood PCR assay. J Clin Microbiol. 1997; 35(11):2927-300095-1137http://hdl.handle.net/10668/2142Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't;A single-step PCR assay with genus-specific primers for the amplification of a 223-bp region of the sequence encoding a 31-kDa immunogenetic Brucella abortus protein (BCSP31) was used for the rapid diagnosis of human brucellosis. We examined peripheral blood from 47 patients, with a total of 50 cases of brucellosis, and a group of 60 control subjects, composed of patients with febrile syndromes of several etiologies other than brucellosis, asymptomatic subjects seropositive for Brucella antibodies, and healthy subjects. Diagnosis of brucellosis was established in 35 cases (70%) by isolation of Brucella in blood culture and in the other 15 cases (30%) by clinical and serological means. The sensitivity of our PCR assay was 100%, since it correctly identified all 50 cases of brucellosis, regardless of the duration of the disease, the positivity of the blood culture, or the presence of focal forms. The specificity of the test was 98.3%, and the only false-positive result was for a patient who had had brucellosis 2 months before and possibly had a self-limited relapse. In those patients who relapsed, the results of our PCR assay were positive for both the initial infection and the relapse, becoming negative once the relapse treatment was completed and remaining negative in the follow-up tests at 2, 4, and 6 months. In conclusion, these results suggest that the PCR assay is rapid and easy to perform and highly sensitive and specific, and it may therefore be considered a useful tool for diagnosis of human brucellosis.enAnticuerpos bacterianosbrucelosisCebadores de ADNADN bacterianoFiebreReacción en cadena de la polimerasaValores de referenciaReproducibilidad de los resultadosSensibilidad y especificidadMedical Subject Headings::Named Groups::Persons::Age Groups::AdultMedical Subject Headings::Named Groups::Persons::Age Groups::Adult::AgedMedical Subject Headings::Named Groups::Persons::Age Groups::Adult::Aged::Aged, 80 and overMedical Subject Headings::Chemicals and Drugs::Amino Acids, Peptides, and Proteins::Proteins::Globulins::Serum Globulins::Immunoglobulins::Antibodies::Antibodies, BacterialMedical Subject Headings::Organisms::Bacteria::Gram-Negative Bacteria::Gram-Negative Aerobic Bacteria::Gram-Negative Aerobic Rods and Cocci::Brucellaceae::Brucella::Brucella abortusMedical Subject Headings::Diseases::Bacterial Infections and Mycoses::Bacterial Infections::Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections::BrucellosisMedical Subject Headings::Chemicals and Drugs::Chemical Actions and Uses::Specialty Uses of Chemicals::Laboratory Chemicals::Molecular Probes::Nucleic Acid Probes::DNA Probes::DNA PrimersMedical Subject Headings::Chemicals and Drugs::Nucleic Acids, Nucleotides, and Nucleosides::Nucleic Acids::DNA::DNA, BacterialMedical Subject Headings::Check Tags::FemaleMedical Subject Headings::Diseases::Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms::Signs and Symptoms::Body Temperature Changes::FeverMedical Subject Headings::Organisms::Eukaryota::Animals::Chordata::Vertebrates::Mammals::Primates::Haplorhini::Catarrhini::Hominidae::HumansMedical Subject Headings::Check Tags::MaleMedical Subject Headings::Named Groups::Persons::Age Groups::Adult::Middle AgedMedical Subject Headings::Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment::Investigative Techniques::Genetic Techniques::Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques::Polymerase Chain ReactionMedical Subject Headings::Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment::Investigative Techniques::Weights and Measures::Reference ValuesMedical Subject Headings::Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment::Investigative Techniques::Evaluation Studies as Topic::Reproducibility of ResultsMedical Subject Headings::Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment::Investigative Techniques::Epidemiologic Methods::Epidemiologic Research Design::Sensitivity and SpecificityMedical Subject Headings::Named Groups::Persons::Age Groups::AdolescentMedical Subject Headings::Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment::Investigative Techniques::Epidemiologic Methods::Epidemiologic Research Design::Sensitivity and Specificityresearch article9350761open access1098-660XPMC230089