The Detection of Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli in Stool Specimens by Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction Technique

Abstract

This study was carried out in the period from May 2007- March 2008 to detect the presence of Enterotoxigenic Escherichia Coli in patients with diarrheal disease. Fourty six stool specimens were collected from patients attended Umdorman Teaching Hospital, Bashair and Ribat hospitals. Bacterial DNA was extracted from each stool specimen using phenol-chloroform technique. Quantica thermcycler was used to detect Enterotoxigenic Escherichia Coli. The result revealed that 9 (19.6%) specimens were positive and 37 (80.4%) were negative. The study concluded that the Real-time polymerase chain reaction technique facilitates detection of bacterial pathogens without bacteriological culture.