1994 Volume 68 Issue 1 Pages 42-49
A DNA amplification assay using PCR, which consists of amplification of genus specific mycobacterial 16S rRNA gene as the 1st step and reamiplification of the amplicon with species specific primers as the next step, could detect M. avium, M. intracellular and M. kansasii in the sputum.
The results with type or standard strains showed that M. avium PCR and M. intracellular PCR were highly specific for identification of each species but M. kansasii PCR detected M. gastri besides M. kansasii.
Among 22 clinical samples which were positive by PCR, the 17 results were confirmed by culture.
The PCR detected 27 (7.5%) of nontuberculous mycobacteria from 360 sputum and showed that the 27 of NTM consists of 9 M. avium, 8 M. intracellulare, 5 M. kansasii, 1 reacted both M. avium and M. intracellulare and 4 unidentified.
