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- Title
Comparison of microscopy, culture, and conventional polymerase chain reaction for detection of blastocystis sp. in clinical stool samples.
- Authors
Roberts, Tamalee; Barratt, Joel; Harkness, John; Ellis, John; Stark, Damien
- Abstract
We tested 513 stool samples from patients in Sydney, Australia for Blastocystis by using five diagnostic techniques: microscopy of a permanently stained smear using a modified iron-hematoxylin stain, two xenic culture systems (a modified Boeck and Drbohlav's medium and tryptone, yeast extract, glucose, methionine-9 medium), and two published conventional polymerase chain reaction methods specific for the small subunit ribosomal DNA. Ninety-eight (19%) samples were positive for Blastocystis in one or more of the diagnostic techniques. The PCR 2 method was the most sensitive at detecting Blastocystis with a sensitivity of 94%, and the least sensitive was microscopy of the permanent stain (48%). Subtype 3 was the most predominant subtype (present in 43% of samples assigned to this group). This study highlights the low sensitivity of microscopy when used as the sole diagnostic modality for detection of Blastocystis sp.
- Publication
The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, 2011, Vol 84, Issue 2, p308
- ISSN
1476-1645
- Publication type
Journal Article
- DOI
10.4269/ajtmh.2011.10-0447