Pathogens nucleic acid amplification methods

Nucleic acids are also valuable as diagnostic reagents. In combination with the recently developed amplification method, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), nucleic acid probes allow the detection of trace amounts of a specified nucleic acid sequence. Thus, the presence of the DNA of pathogens can be ascertained with great sensitivity and rapidity. Further, these tools permit the analysis and the detection of gene defects in individual patients, and aid in the tailoring of therapeutic strategies. These applications are discussed in Chapter 8. 

Narayanan, J. Hill, V. Methods and universal primers for detection and amplification of nucleic acids from pathogens by real-time PCR. PCX Int. Appl. WO 2006074222, 2006 Chem. Abstr. 2006, 145, 118263. 

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