PCR-Dipstick Chromatography for Differential Detection of Carbapenemase Genes Directly in Stool Specimens

Abstract

A PCR-dipstick chromatography technique was designed and evaluated for differential identification of <i>bla</i>_NDM, <i>bla</i>_KPC, <i>bla</i>_IMP, and <i>bla</i>_OXA-48 carbapenemase genes directly in stool specimens within 2 h. It is a DNA-DNA hybridization-based detection system where PCR products can be easily interpreted by visual observation without electrophoresis. The PCR-dipstick showed high sensitivity (93.3%) and specificity (99.1%) in directly detecting carbapenemase genes in stool specimens compared with multiplex PCR for genomic DNA of the isolates from those stool specimens.