THE RIBOSOMAL INTERGENIC SPACER REGION - A TARGET FOR THE PCR BASED DIAGNOSIS OF TUBERCULOSIS

Setting: DNA Diagnostics, The National Diagnostics Centre and University College Hospital, Galway, Republic of Ireland. Objective: To investigate the possibility of developing a DNA probe to distinguish the members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex and develop an assay for the detection of M. tuberculosis in sputum. Design: The ribosomal intergenic spacer regions from the members of the M. tuberculosis complex were sequenced and analysed for the ability of this region to provide sequence diversity for DNA probe development. Results: The 100% sequence homology in this region precluded the development of a probe to distinguish the individual members of the M. tuberculosis complex. However it was possible to develop a DNA probe that could specifically detect only the members of the M. tuberculosis complex. Conclusion: A specific DNA probe was developed for the detection of the M. tuberculosis complex and its application to M. tuberculosis detection in sputum was demonstrated.