Diagnosis of human brucellosis in Egypt by PCR

Background: Brucellosis is a significant health problem in Egypt.Methodology: To establish a PCR technique for diagnosis of active brucellosis in our institutions, DNA extraction was done using a commercial kit, and a laboratory extraction procedure. PCR amplification was done using 2 sets of primers: B4/B5 and JPF/JPR. Extraction of Brucella DNA using the commercial kit failed; therefore, this technique was discontinued. The laboratory extraction method was successful and more economic.Results: The technique showed high sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy. The PCR positivity increased significantly (P=0.001) with increasing the positive standard tube agglutination titer and showed 100% positivity in patients with positive blood culture.Conclusions: An accurate and sensitive PCR technique was established. Based on the results, the PCR method is recommended as an alternative to culture for the diagnosis of brucellosis. A large-scale study to evaluate this PCR technique to screen for brucellosis in Egypt is needed