Assessment of Rickettsia spp. and R. rickettsii real-time PCR assay performance on banked clinical samples.

Kato CY, Chung IH, Robinson LK, Austin AL, Dasch GA, Massung RF.

Source

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch.

Abstract

Two novel real-time PCR assays were developed for the detection of Rickettsia spp. One assay detects all tested Rickettsia spp.; the other is specific for Rickettsia rickettsii. Evaluation using DNA from human blood and tissue samples showed both assays to be more sensitive than nested PCR assays currently in use at the CDC.