Protozoa PCR: boon or bane
Colin Pham A and Harsha Sheorey BA St Vincent’s Hospital
Melbourne, Vic., Australia
Email: colin.pham@svha.org.au
B St Vincent’s Hospital
Melbourne, Vic., Australia
Email: harsha.sheorey@svha.org.au
Microbiology Australia 37(1) 46-49 https://doi.org/10.1071/MA16007
Published: 12 February 2016
Abstract
Parasite detection in faeces has traditionally been performed by microscopy, a procedure that is labour-intensive and highly specialised. In addition, identification by microscopy based on morphological features alone is subjective and prone to wide variability. Although enzyme immunoassays (EIA) of high sensitivity have been developed1 they can detect only a limited range of pathogens. Given these factors the introduction of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) into the routine diagnostic laboratory has improved parasite detection rates2. The ability to multiplex has enabled the detection of multiple targets from a single sample and provides an objective alternative to identification by morphology.
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