Rapid detection of laboratory cross-contamination with <it>Mycobacterium tuberculosis </it>using multispacer sequence typing
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The ability to culture <it>Mycobacterium tuberculosis </it>from clinical specimens serves as the gold standard for the diagnosis of tuberculosis. However, a number of false-positive diagnoses may be due to cross-contamina...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2009-03-01
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| Series: | BMC Microbiology |
| Online Access: | http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2180/9/47 |
| Summary: | <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The ability to culture <it>Mycobacterium tuberculosis </it>from clinical specimens serves as the gold standard for the diagnosis of tuberculosis. However, a number of false-positive diagnoses may be due to cross-contamination of such specimens. We herein investigate such episode of cross-contamination by using a technique known as multispacer sequence typing (MST). This technique was applied to six <it>M. tuberculosis </it>isolates prepared within the same laboratory over a two-week period of time.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>MST analysis indicated a unique and common sequence profile between a strain isolated from a patient with proven pulmonary tuberculosis and a strain isolated from a patient diagnosed with lung carcinoma. Using this approach, we were able to provide a clear demonstration of laboratory cross-contamination within just four working days. Further epidemiological investigations revealed that the two isolates were processed for culture on the same day.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The application of MST has been demonstrated to serve as a rapid and efficient method to investigate cases of possible cross-contamination with <it>M. tuberculosis</it>.</p> |
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| ISSN: | 1471-2180 |