Isolation and detection of Borrelia burgdorferi DNA from cerebral spinal fluid, synovial fluid, blood, urine, and ticks using the Roche MagNA Pure system and real-time PCR

The Roche MagNA Pure automated nucleic acid extraction system was tested for its ability to extract Borrelia burgdorferi DNA from a diverse set of spiked specimen types including blood, cerebral spinal fluid, synovial fluid, urine and ticks. A method comparison between MagNA Pure automated extraction and manual extraction, using either QlAamp columns or phenol/chloroform extraction. showed equivalent detection sensitivities for all methodologies with all specimen types (except for urine, in which case QlAamp extraction was twofold less sensitive). Eighty positive clinical specimens (as determined by an independent testing method), including 76 synovial fluid, and 4 cerebral spinal fluid specimens, were found to be positive by the MagNA Pure/real-time PCR method of extraction and detection. This data shows that the MagNA Pure system can be used to extract B. burgdorferi DNA from clinical specimens, and when combined with real-time PCR, the result is an extremely sensitive assay with limited hands on time and rapid turn around times. paired right arrows 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.