Traditional and molecular basis of detection and identification of pathogenic microorganisms

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* Corresponding authors

a Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
E-mail:

b CSIRO Manufacturing, Research Way, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia

c Microbiology Department, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

d Sunderland Pharmacy School, University of Sunderland, Sunderland, UK

e bioMérieux Inc., Durham, NC, USA

Abstract

In order to retard the rate of development of antibacterial resistance, the causative agent must be identified as rapidly as possible, so that directed patient treatment and/or contact precautions can be initiated. This review highlights the challenges associated with the detection and identification of pathogenic bacteria, by providing an introduction to the techniques currently used, as well as newer techniques that are in development. Focusing on the chemical basis for these techniques, the review also provides a comparison of their advantages and disadvantages.

  • This article is part of the themed collections: Probes for in vitro and in vivo fluorescence imaging and Primer

Article information

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1039/C6CS00693K

Article type

Tutorial Review

Submitted

23 Sep 2016

First published

23 Jun 2017

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Chem. Soc. Rev., 2017,46, 4818-4832

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Traditional and molecular basis of detection and identification of pathogenic microorganisms

Methods for the detection and identification of pathogenic bacteria: past, present, and future

L. Váradi, J. L. Luo, D. E. Hibbs, J. D. Perry, R. J. Anderson, S. Orenga and P. W. Groundwater, Chem. Soc. Rev., 2017, 46, 4818 DOI: 10.1039/C6CS00693K

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Traditional and molecular basis of detection and identification of pathogenic microorganisms

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journal article

Current molecular techniques for the detection of microbial pathogens

Science Progress (1933-)

Vol. 90, No. 1 (2007)

, pp. 29-50 (22 pages)

Published By: Sage Publications, Ltd.

https://www.jstor.org/stable/43423199

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Abstract

Traditionally the detection of microbial pathogens in clinical, environmental or food samples has commonly neededtheprelevation of cells by culture before the application of the detection strategy. This is done to increase cell number thereby overcoming problems associated with the sensitivity of classical detection strategies. However, culture—based methods have the disadvantages of taking longer, usually are more complex and require skilled personnel as well as not being able to detect viable but non cultivable microbial species. A number of molecular methods have been developed in the last 10 to 15 years to overcome these issues and to facilitate the rapid, accurate, sensitive and cost effective identification and enumeration of microorganisms which are designed to replace and/or support classical approaches to microbial detection. Amongst these new methods, ones based on the polymerase chain reaction and nucleic acid hybridization have been shown to be particularly suitable for this purpose. This review generally summarizes some of the current and emerging nucleic acid based molecular approaches for the detection, discrimination and quantification of microbes in environmental, food and clinical samples and includes reference to the recently developing areas of microfluidics and nanotechnology "Lab-on-achip".

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Science Progress commissions world authorities to contribute articles on the most interesting, important and meaningful topics - ranging from cosmology to the environment, and publishes occasional issues on specific topics.

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What are the traditional basis of detection and identification of pathogenic microorganisms?

Traditional approaches for microbial detection and identification include microbial cultivation, immunological (e.g., antibody-based) assays, and nucleic acid detection schemes—especially amplification methods such as PCR (Tang et al., 1997; Fredricks and Relman, 1999).

What are molecular methods for identification of microorganisms?

The molecular techniques for identification of microbes are single gene sequencing (e.g., by sequencing ribosomal RNA encoding 16S, 23S, 18S, and ITS gene), multiple gene sequencing (housekeeping and pathogenic genes), and whole-genome sequencing.

Which method is used for the identification of microorganisms on the basis of molecular biology?

Single polymerase chain reaction This is a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) involving the use of a single primer set (which targets a specific gene) to detect an organism. The primer set can be designed for specific species and can detect the target organism in the presence of others.

How do you identify a pathogenic microorganism?

Biochemical testing. The majority of clinical microbiology laboratories still rely on culture for the detection of most bacterial pathogens from clinical samples. Traditionally, culture is performed using general purpose agar-based media (e.g. blood agar) that will support the growth of a wide range of pathogens.