Abstrakt

Several virulence factors, including those identified in cerebrospinal fluid, have Sequences and analyzers for the 16S rRNA genes

Jin Okanota*

A set of broad-range PCR primers for the 16S rRNA gene in bacteria, as well as three series of oligonucleotide probes to detect the PCR product, were examined. The first set of probes covers a wide spectrum of bacteria and includes a universal bacterial probe, a gram-positive probe, a Bacteroides-Flavobacterium probe, and two probes for various gram-negative species. The second series was created to detect PCR products from seven of the most common bacterial species or groups that cause meningitis: Neisseria meningitidis, Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, S. agalactiae, Escherichia coli and other enteric bacteria, Listeria monocytogenes, and Staphylococcus aureus. The third series was created to detect DNA from species or genera that are widely thought to be potential contaminants in clinical samples, such as cerebrospinal fluid. The pathogen and contaminant probe sequences from CSF were compared to existing sequence information and sequencing data from 32 distinct species. The CSF pathogen and contaminant probes were tested against DNA from over 60 different strains, and with the exception of the coagulase-negative staphylococcus probes, these probes correctly identified bacterial species known to be prevalent in CSF.