# name
Evaluation of PCR Approaches for Detection of Bartonella
                bacilliformis in Blood Samples

# metadata.dc.description.abstract[].value
BACKGROUND: The lack of an effective diagnostic tool for
                Carrion's disease leads to misdiagnosis, wrong treatments and
                perpetuation of asymptomatic carriers living in endemic areas.
                Conventional PCR approaches have been reported as a diagnostic
                technique. However, the detection limit of these techniques is
                not clear as well as if its usefulness in low bacteriemia cases.
                The aim of this study was to evaluate the detection limit of 3
                PCR approaches. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We determined
                the detection limit of 3 different PCR approaches:
                Bartonella-specific 16S rRNA, fla and its genes. We also
                evaluated the viability of dry blood spots to be used as a
                sample transport system. Our results show that 16S rRNA PCR is
                the approach with a lowest detection limit, 5 CFU/muL, and thus,
                the best diagnostic PCR tool studied. Dry blood spots diminish
                the sensitivity of the assay. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: From the
                tested PCRs, the 16S rRNA PCR-approach is the best to be used in
                the direct blood detection of acute cases of Carrion's disease.
                However its use in samples from dry blood spots results in
                easier management of transport samples in rural areas, a slight
                decrease in the sensitivity was observed. The usefulness to
                detect by PCR the presence of low-bacteriemic or asymptomatic
                carriers is doubtful, showing the need to search for new more
                sensible techniques.

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Reproducció del document publicat a:
                http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0004529

# metadata.dc.relation.ispartof[].value
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 2016, vol. 10, num. 3, p.
                e0004529

# metadata.dc.source[].value
Articles publicats en revistes (Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística)

# metadata.dc.title[].value
Evaluation of PCR Approaches for Detection of Bartonella
                bacilliformis in Blood Samples