Use of solid-phase PCR for enhanced detection of airborne microorganisms

A J Alvarez; M P Buttner; G A Toranzos; E A Dvorsky; A Toro; T B Heikes; L E Mertikas-Pifer; L D Stetzenbach

doi:10.1128/aem.60.1.374-376.1994

Use of solid-phase PCR for enhanced detection of airborne microorganisms

Appl Environ Microbiol. 1994 Jan;60(1):374-6. doi: 10.1128/aem.60.1.374-376.1994.

Authors

A J Alvarez¹, M P Buttner, G A Toranzos, E A Dvorsky, A Toro, T B Heikes, L E Mertikas-Pifer, L D Stetzenbach

Affiliation

¹ Department of Biology, College of Natural Sciences, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras 00931.

Abstract

The solid-phase PCR (SP-PCR) was compared with a culture-based technique for the detection of aerosolized Escherichia coli DH1. Results with SP-PCR showed an increase in detection sensitivity over that of culture methods. Therefore, SP-PCR may be useful for the detection of airborne microorganisms which may be nonculturable because of aerosolization or sampling stress.

Publication types

Comparative Study
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Air Microbiology*
Base Sequence
Colony Count, Microbial
DNA Primers / genetics
DNA, Bacterial / genetics
Escherichia coli / genetics
Escherichia coli / isolation & purification
Evaluation Studies as Topic
Molecular Sequence Data
Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods*
Polymerase Chain Reaction / statistics & numerical data
Sensitivity and Specificity

Substances

DNA Primers
DNA, Bacterial