Rapid detection,of Bartonella species using PCR
By Linda on May 27, 2010 in Infections | comments(0)
Excerpt:
A gram-negative, rod-shaped microorganism was detected in a
69-year-old man suffering from chronic back pain but otherwise
exhibiting no signs of infection.
The bacterium could not be identified using any routine
diagnostic modality. A research use only application utilizing
PCR and Mass Spectrometry was performed on nucleic acid extracted
from the tissue sample. These studies resulted in the implication
of Bartonella quintana as the underlying cause of the infection.
B.
quintana is not a well-known cause of an abdominal aortic mycotic
aneurysm. This article will discuss the B. quintana infection,
its diagnosis and treatment, and reinforce the potential of B.
quintana as a possible etiology in mycotic aneurysms that show no
apparent indications of infection. It will also explore the
potential use of polymerase chain reaction detected by
electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (PCR/ESI-MS) to help
identify B. quintana in a situation where other conventional
methods prove non-informative.
