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Multiplex 5' nuclease-quantitative PCR for diagnosis of relapsing fever in a large Tanzanian cohort.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Reller, ME; Clemens, EG; Schachterle, SE; Mtove, GA; Sullivan, DJ; Dumler, JS
Published in: J Clin Microbiol
September 2011

Relapsing fever (RF) is caused by tick- and louse-borne Borrelia spp., is characterized by recurrent fever, and is often misdiagnosed as malaria. Because of submicroscopic bacteremia, microscopy can be insensitive between febrile bouts. We designed a multiplex quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay to distinguish RF Borrelia from Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax. The assay specifically (100%) amplified pathogenic RF Borrelia (1 copy/reaction). We then tested blood from participants within a Tanzanian cohort assessed at scheduled intervals and with fever. Among 8,617 blood samples from 2,057 participants surveyed routinely, 7 (0.08%) samples and 7 (0.3%) participants had RF DNA (median, 4.4 × 10(3) copies/ml). Of 382 samples from 310 febrile persons, 15 (3.9%) samples from 13 (4.2%) participants had RF DNA (median, 7.9 × 10(2) copies/ml). Five (1.3%) samples from 4 (1.3%) participants were found to harbor Borrelia by microscopy. We conclude that multiplex qPCR holds promise for improved clinical diagnosis and epidemiologic assessment of RF.

Duke Scholars

Published In

J Clin Microbiol

DOI

EISSN

1098-660X

Publication Date

September 2011

Volume

49

Issue

9

Start / End Page

3245 / 3249

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Young Adult
  • Tanzania
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Relapsing Fever
  • Prevalence
  • Pregnancy
  • Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Middle Aged
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Reller, M. E., Clemens, E. G., Schachterle, S. E., Mtove, G. A., Sullivan, D. J., & Dumler, J. S. (2011). Multiplex 5' nuclease-quantitative PCR for diagnosis of relapsing fever in a large Tanzanian cohort. J Clin Microbiol, 49(9), 3245–3249. https://doi.org/10.1128/JCM.00940-11
Reller, Megan E., Emily G. Clemens, Steve E. Schachterle, George A. Mtove, David J. Sullivan, and J Stephen Dumler. “Multiplex 5' nuclease-quantitative PCR for diagnosis of relapsing fever in a large Tanzanian cohort.J Clin Microbiol 49, no. 9 (September 2011): 3245–49. https://doi.org/10.1128/JCM.00940-11.
Reller ME, Clemens EG, Schachterle SE, Mtove GA, Sullivan DJ, Dumler JS. Multiplex 5' nuclease-quantitative PCR for diagnosis of relapsing fever in a large Tanzanian cohort. J Clin Microbiol. 2011 Sep;49(9):3245–9.
Reller, Megan E., et al. “Multiplex 5' nuclease-quantitative PCR for diagnosis of relapsing fever in a large Tanzanian cohort.J Clin Microbiol, vol. 49, no. 9, Sept. 2011, pp. 3245–49. Pubmed, doi:10.1128/JCM.00940-11.
Reller ME, Clemens EG, Schachterle SE, Mtove GA, Sullivan DJ, Dumler JS. Multiplex 5' nuclease-quantitative PCR for diagnosis of relapsing fever in a large Tanzanian cohort. J Clin Microbiol. 2011 Sep;49(9):3245–3249.

Published In

J Clin Microbiol

DOI

EISSN

1098-660X

Publication Date

September 2011

Volume

49

Issue

9

Start / End Page

3245 / 3249

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Young Adult
  • Tanzania
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Relapsing Fever
  • Prevalence
  • Pregnancy
  • Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Middle Aged