Abstract

ABSTRACT Background: Various primers have been used for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) DNA using Polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The MPB64 gene has been demonstrated to be a highly specific target for MTBC detection. Aims & Objectives: To detect MTBC DNA using MPB64 primers in clinical specimens of Nepalese patients suspected to have tuberculosis (TB).
Materials and Methods: DNA was extracted from 44 clinical specimens of patients suspected of having TB and MPB64 targeted PCR was performed.
Results: Bands comprising 240 base pair (bp) of MPB64 sequence were present in 15 of the 44 clinical samples, of which 4 were pulmonary and the remainders were extra-pulmonary samples. The overall positivity of MPB64 targeted PCR was 34.1%. Conclusion: PCR targeting the MPB64 fragment has a potential of detecting the MTBC DNA and has potentially valuable clinical applications in early detection of TB in Nepal.