Detection of Edwardsiella tarda in Stool Specimens by Real- time Polymerase Chain Reaction Technique

Abstract

This study was carried out during the period from May 2007- March 2008 to detect the presence of Edwardsiella tarda in patients with diarrheal disease. Forty six stool specimens were collected from patients attended Omdurman Teaching Hospital, Bashair Teaching Hospital and Jafar Ibn ouf Pediatrics' Hospitals. Bacterial DNA was extracted from each stool specimen using phenol –chloroform technique. Quantica thermcycler was used to detect Edwardsiella tarda. The result revealed that only 2 (4.3%) specimens were positive and 44 (95.7%) were negative. The study concluded that the real time PCR technique facilitates detection of E. tarda pathogens.