Detection of Borrelia miyamotoi in Ixodidae Ticks Collected in the South of Western Siberia

Objective of the study was to assess the level of infection with Borrelia miyamotoi in ticks Ixodes persulcatus and Ixodes pavlovskyi collected in the south of Western Siberia.Materials and methods. 688 ticks I. persulcatus and I. pavlovskyi collected on the territory of Novosibirsk, Tomsk and Kemerovo Regions were examined. Borrelia DNA was detected by a two-round polymerase chain reaction with specifc primers to the omp66 gene region, followed by sequencing of the isolated fragments and phylogenetic analysis, including the sequences of prototype isolates published in the international GenBank database. Comparison and analysis of nucleotide sequences was carried out using the MEGA 7 software package. In parallel, the samples were examined for the presence of the agents of transmissible infections – West Nile fever and tick-borne encephalitis, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, babesiosis, bartonellosis and candidate pathogens of tick-borne rickettsiosis through RT-PCR and PCR with species-specifc and genus-specifc primers.Results and discussion. The genetic material of B. miyamotoi was found in 2.2 % of I. persulcatus and I. pavlovskyi ticks in the Tomsk, Novosibirsk, and Kemerovo Regions and their appurtenance to the Asian genotype was determined. It was revealed that the degree of similarity of the omp66 gene fragments within the group of isolates of the Asian genotype was 100 %. No relation between B. miyamotoi and a specifc vector species was identifed.

Quantum dots for a high-throughput Pfu polymerase based multi-round polymerase chain reaction (PCR)

We developed a Pfu polymerase based multi-round PCR technique assisted by quantum dots (QDs).

Diagnosis of Trichophyton rubrum from Onychomycotic Nail Samples Using Polymerase Chain Reaction and Calcofluor White Microscopy

Background: A high rate of false-negative dermatophyte detection is observed when the most common laboratory methods are used. These methods include microscopic observation of potassium hydroxide–digested nail clippings and culture methods using agar-based media supplemented with cycloheximide, chloramphenicol, and gentamicin to isolate dermatophytes. Microscopic detection methods that use calcofluor white staining or periodic acid–Schiff staining may also be substituted for and have previously been reported to be more sensitive than potassium hydroxide–digested nail clippings. Methods: Trichophyton rubrum infections were detected directly from nails in a double-round polymerase chain reaction assay that uses actin gene–based primers. This method was compared with detection of fungal hyphae by using calcofluor white fluorescence microscopy of nail samples collected from 83 patients with onychomycosis who were undergoing antifungal drug therapy. Results: Twenty-six of 83 samples (31.3%) were found to be positive by calcofluor white fluorescence microscopy, and 21 of 83 samples (25.3%) yielded positive results for T rubrum when actin gene–based primers in a double-round polymerase chain reaction assay were used. When calcofluor white fluorescence microscopy and polymerase chain reaction assay were used, the combined detection was 46.9% compared with 31.3% when calcofluor microscopy and culture of nail samples on Sabouraud’s dextrose agar supplemented with cycloheximide, chloramphenicol, and gentamicin were used. Conclusions: These results suggest that the use of a direct DNA protocol is an alternative method for detecting Trichophyton infections. When this protocol is used, the presence of T rubrum DNA is directly detected. However, the viability of the dermatophyte is not addressed, and further methods need to be developed for the detection of viable T rubrum directly from nail samples. (J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 98(3): 224–228, 2008)

Nanogold-Assisted Multi-Round Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)

We have previously demonstrated that nanogold effectively enhances the specificity and yield of error-prone two-round polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Here we reported that, with the assistance of nanogold, we could perform multi-round PCR. In the presence of appropriate amount of 10 nm nanogold, we could obtain the target product even after six rounds of PCR, as manifested by a single bright band in gel electrophoresis (1% agarose). In fact, we could still observe the target band even at the 7th round of PCR, which nevertheless was accompanied by smearing bands (non-specific amplification). In contrast, in the absence of nanogold, the target band was completely lost only after four rounds of amplification. This marked difference in the performance of multi-round PCR clearly showed that nanogold was a powerful enhancer for PCR. More importantly, with this nanogold-assisted multi-round PCR, it might be possible to produce a large amount of target DNA, or to amply very low copies of genomic DNA from rare sources.