The molecular diagnosis of sexually transmitted genital ulcer disease

Methods Mol Biol. 2012:903:103-12. doi: 10.1007/978-1-61779-937-2_6.

Abstract

Highly sensitive and specific nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) have emerged as the gold standard diagnostic tests for many infectious diseases. Real-time PCR has further refined the technology of nucleic acid amplification with detection in a closed system and enabled multiplexing to simultaneously detect multiple pathogens. It is a versatile, fast, and high-throughput system for pathogen detection that has reduced the risk of PCR contamination, eliminated post-PCR manipulations, and improved the cost-effectiveness of testing. In addition, real-time PCR can be applied to self-collected noninvasive specimens. Here, we describe an in-house developed TaqMan-based real-time multiplex PCR (M-PCR) assay for the diagnosis of sexually transmitted genital ulcer disease (GUD) and discuss briefly on issues associated with validation of assay performance.

MeSH terms

  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • DNA, Bacterial / isolation & purification
  • DNA, Viral / genetics
  • DNA, Viral / isolation & purification
  • Haemophilus ducreyi / genetics
  • Haemophilus ducreyi / isolation & purification
  • Haemophilus ducreyi / pathogenicity
  • Herpesvirus 1, Human / genetics
  • Herpesvirus 1, Human / isolation & purification
  • Herpesvirus 1, Human / pathogenicity
  • Herpesvirus 2, Human / genetics
  • Herpesvirus 2, Human / isolation & purification
  • Herpesvirus 2, Human / pathogenicity
  • Humans
  • Molecular Diagnostic Techniques / methods*
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Ribonuclease P / genetics
  • Sexually Transmitted Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Sexually Transmitted Diseases / genetics
  • Sexually Transmitted Diseases / microbiology
  • Sexually Transmitted Diseases / virology
  • Taq Polymerase / metabolism
  • Treponema pallidum / genetics
  • Treponema pallidum / isolation & purification
  • Treponema pallidum / pathogenicity
  • Ulcer / diagnosis*
  • Ulcer / genetics
  • Ulcer / microbiology
  • Ulcer / virology

Substances

  • DNA, Bacterial
  • DNA, Viral
  • Taq Polymerase
  • Ribonuclease P