Clinical evaluation of multiplex PCR for the differential diagnosis of major pathogenic mycobacteria in East China.

ABSTRACT: Distinguishing between Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) and nontuberculous mycobacteria infections remains clinically challenging due to their drastically different treatment regimens, underscoring the critical need for rapid and accurate mycobacterial identification to guide effective patient management. This study aimed to develop a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for the detection and typing of major pathogenic mycobacteria - including MTB, Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), Mycobacteroides chelonae - Mycobacteroides abscessus group (MCAG), and Mycobacterium kansasii - and to evaluate its diagnostic performance. The assay was designed with species-specific primers targeting 5 key genes: 16S rRNA, RD9, ITS (internal transcribed spacer) region-MAC, ITS region-MCAG, and mka

SUBMITTER: Fang T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12622619 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature