Inhibitory effect of salivary fluids on PCR: potency and removal.

Abstract

Various body fluids contain agents that inhibit the PCR. Such fluids include urine, (Lz) serum, (3-5) feces, (6'7) amniotic fluid, (8) and cerebrospinal fluid. (8) When detection or quantification of microbial genomes from clinical specimens is desired, the presence of PCR inhibitory factors potentially leads to false-negative results or underestimations, respectively.