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Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 11 1995, 3849-3855, Vol 61, No. 11
DW Johnson, NJ Pieniazek, DW Griffin, L Misener and JB Rose
The development of a reliable method of using PCR for detection of
Cryptosporidium oocysts in environmental samples with oligonucleotide
primers which amplify a portion of the sequence encoding the small (18S)
subunit of rRNA producing a 435-bp product was demonstrated. The PCR assay
was found to provide highly genus-specific detection of Cryptosporidium
spp. after release of nucleic acids from oocysts by a simple freeze-thaw
procedure. The assay routinely detected 1 to 10 oocysts in purified oocyst
preparations, as shown by direct microscopic counts and by an
immunofluorescence assay. The sensitivity of the PCR assay in some seeded
environmental water samples was up to 1,000-fold lower. However, this
interference was eliminated by either flow cytometry or magnetic-antibody
capture. Sensitivity was also improved 10- to 1,000-fold by probing of the
PCR product on dot blots with an oligonucleotide probe detected by
chemiluminescence. Confirmation of the presence of Cryptosporidium oocysts
in water samples from the outbreak in Milwaukee, Wis., was obtained with
this technique, and PCR was found to be as sensitive as immunofluorescence
for detection of oocysts in wastewater concentrates.
Copyright © 1995, American Society for Microbiology
Development of a PCR protocol for sensitive detection of Cryptosporidium oocysts in water samples
Department of Marine Science, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg 33701-5016, USA.
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