Comparison of Quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) and Agglutination Assays in Diagnosis of Brucellosis in Golestan Province, North of Iran

Introduction: Brucellosis is one of the most common zoonotic infections worldwide. The clinical symptoms of brucellosis are similar to a wide range of diseases; hence, reliable diagnostic and laboratory methods are required to identify the causative agent. Iran is an endemic region of brucellosis, a...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Behnaz Khodabakhshi, Abdollah Abbasi, Mobina Torabi Rostami, Hamid Reza Joshaghani, Gholamreza Roshandel
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Pasteur Institute of Iran 2019-10-01
Series:Journal of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
Subjects:
Online Access:http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-179-en.html
_version_ 1818409593175277568
author Behnaz Khodabakhshi
Abdollah Abbasi
Mobina Torabi Rostami
Hamid Reza Joshaghani
Gholamreza Roshandel
author_facet Behnaz Khodabakhshi
Abdollah Abbasi
Mobina Torabi Rostami
Hamid Reza Joshaghani
Gholamreza Roshandel
author_sort Behnaz Khodabakhshi
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: Brucellosis is one of the most common zoonotic infections worldwide. The clinical symptoms of brucellosis are similar to a wide range of diseases; hence, reliable diagnostic and laboratory methods are required to identify the causative agent. Iran is an endemic region of brucellosis, and many patients are misdiagnosed due to the nature of the infection. In this study, we aimed to evaluate and compare the use of the conventional Wright test and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) for the diagnosis of brucellosis. Methods: Diagnosis of brucellosis was performed using serological tests and PCR amplification of a gene encoding 31-kDa immunogenic Brucella abortus protein (BCSP31). Data were analyzed using the Chi-square test. Results: Brucellosis was diagnosed in 45 (69.23%) and 22 (38.8%) patients using the Wright test and qRT-PCR, respectively. The results of Wright and qRT-PCR assays were consistent in patients with negative results (90%). Moreover, qRT-PCR detected brucellosis in 25% of patients with Wright test titers <1/160, while 55.2% of the patients were positive with titers ≥1/160. No significant association was detected between positive PCR results and age, gender, and clinical symptoms. Conclusion: qRT-PCR showed a reliable diagnostic method capable of detecting the infection in suspected individuals with negative Wright results or with Wright test titers <1/160. Also, the positive qRT-PCR assays were in agreement with the Wright test titer. Regarding the financial and availability issues as well as technical problems, the agglutination test remains the preferred method in Iran.
first_indexed 2024-12-14T10:02:05Z
format Article
id doaj.art-639487a1196942fe800ceed4dce447fc
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2345-5349
2345-5330
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-14T10:02:05Z
publishDate 2019-10-01
publisher Pasteur Institute of Iran
record_format Article
series Journal of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
spelling doaj.art-639487a1196942fe800ceed4dce447fc2022-12-21T23:07:13ZengPasteur Institute of IranJournal of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases2345-53492345-53302019-10-0174116119Comparison of Quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) and Agglutination Assays in Diagnosis of Brucellosis in Golestan Province, North of IranBehnaz Khodabakhshi0Abdollah Abbasi1Mobina Torabi Rostami2Hamid Reza Joshaghani3Gholamreza Roshandel4 Infectious Diseases Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran Department of Infectious Diseases, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Golestan, Iran Infectious Diseases Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran Department of Medical Laboratory . Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Golestan, Iran Golestan Research Centre of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran Introduction: Brucellosis is one of the most common zoonotic infections worldwide. The clinical symptoms of brucellosis are similar to a wide range of diseases; hence, reliable diagnostic and laboratory methods are required to identify the causative agent. Iran is an endemic region of brucellosis, and many patients are misdiagnosed due to the nature of the infection. In this study, we aimed to evaluate and compare the use of the conventional Wright test and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) for the diagnosis of brucellosis. Methods: Diagnosis of brucellosis was performed using serological tests and PCR amplification of a gene encoding 31-kDa immunogenic Brucella abortus protein (BCSP31). Data were analyzed using the Chi-square test. Results: Brucellosis was diagnosed in 45 (69.23%) and 22 (38.8%) patients using the Wright test and qRT-PCR, respectively. The results of Wright and qRT-PCR assays were consistent in patients with negative results (90%). Moreover, qRT-PCR detected brucellosis in 25% of patients with Wright test titers <1/160, while 55.2% of the patients were positive with titers ≥1/160. No significant association was detected between positive PCR results and age, gender, and clinical symptoms. Conclusion: qRT-PCR showed a reliable diagnostic method capable of detecting the infection in suspected individuals with negative Wright results or with Wright test titers <1/160. Also, the positive qRT-PCR assays were in agreement with the Wright test titer. Regarding the financial and availability issues as well as technical problems, the agglutination test remains the preferred method in Iran.http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-179-en.htmlbrucellosisqpcrserological testshumans
spellingShingle Behnaz Khodabakhshi
Abdollah Abbasi
Mobina Torabi Rostami
Hamid Reza Joshaghani
Gholamreza Roshandel
Comparison of Quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) and Agglutination Assays in Diagnosis of Brucellosis in Golestan Province, North of Iran
Journal of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
brucellosis
qpcr
serological tests
humans
title Comparison of Quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) and Agglutination Assays in Diagnosis of Brucellosis in Golestan Province, North of Iran
title_full Comparison of Quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) and Agglutination Assays in Diagnosis of Brucellosis in Golestan Province, North of Iran
title_fullStr Comparison of Quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) and Agglutination Assays in Diagnosis of Brucellosis in Golestan Province, North of Iran
title_full_unstemmed Comparison of Quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) and Agglutination Assays in Diagnosis of Brucellosis in Golestan Province, North of Iran
title_short Comparison of Quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) and Agglutination Assays in Diagnosis of Brucellosis in Golestan Province, North of Iran
title_sort comparison of quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction qrt pcr and agglutination assays in diagnosis of brucellosis in golestan province north of iran
topic brucellosis
qpcr
serological tests
humans
url http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-179-en.html
work_keys_str_mv AT behnazkhodabakhshi comparisonofquantitativerealtimepolymerasechainreactionqrtpcrandagglutinationassaysindiagnosisofbrucellosisingolestanprovincenorthofiran
AT abdollahabbasi comparisonofquantitativerealtimepolymerasechainreactionqrtpcrandagglutinationassaysindiagnosisofbrucellosisingolestanprovincenorthofiran
AT mobinatorabirostami comparisonofquantitativerealtimepolymerasechainreactionqrtpcrandagglutinationassaysindiagnosisofbrucellosisingolestanprovincenorthofiran
AT hamidrezajoshaghani comparisonofquantitativerealtimepolymerasechainreactionqrtpcrandagglutinationassaysindiagnosisofbrucellosisingolestanprovincenorthofiran
AT gholamrezaroshandel comparisonofquantitativerealtimepolymerasechainreactionqrtpcrandagglutinationassaysindiagnosisofbrucellosisingolestanprovincenorthofiran