Comparison of Culture and Multiplex PCR Technique for Detection of Brucella abortus and Brucella melitensis from Human Blood Samples

Background: To compare culture methods with multiplex PCR technique for identification of Brucella abortus and Brucella melitensis from suspicious patients with clinical history of brucellosis and positive serological test (Rose Bengal test and serum agglutination test).

Materials and Methods: In this study, 160 blood samples from patients suspected of Brucellosis with high serum titers of 1/80 were studied. All samples were cultured in Brucella-specific media. Brucella species were identified by using microbiological methods. DNA was extracted with Phenol-chloroform DNA extraction method. IS711 was amplified simultaneously using three specific primers and obtained patterns were analyzed.

Results: From 160 samples, 47.5% (76) were culture positive cases from which 43 cases were B. melitensis and 33 were B. abortus With the PCR technique 108 were detected positive from which 45.3% were B. abortus and 54.6% were B. melitensis. It should be noted that all 76 samples with positive culture were also identified by PCR.

Conclusion: Generally, use of the molecular technique multiplex PCR in addition to increased speed and accuracy and less false results than bacterial culture method, is able to identify different species of brucella. This will facilitate the treatment process.