항산성균 감염증의 신속진단

Abstract

The diagnosis of tuberculosis is usually established using staining and culturing techniques. Improved culture media(BACTEC 460 system) coupled with radiometric means of detecting early mycobacterium growth have shortened the time needed for cultural diagnosis. Rapid technical methods based on the detection of mycobacterial cellular fatty acids have not, however, come into widespread clinical use. The DNA or RNA hybridization tests with labeled spe cific probes which have been described so far are not sensitive enough to be used for clinical specimens without prior culturing. The advent of the polymerase chain reaction(PCR) has opened new possibilities for diagnosis of microbial infections. This technique has already been applied to a number of microorganisms. In the field of mycobacteria the PCR has been used to identify and to detect DNAs extracted from various mycobacteria.