%0 Journal Article %A Miyagi, Kazufumi %A Sano, Kouichi %A Morita, Chizuko %A Imura, Shunro %A Morimatsu, Shinichi %A Goto, Toshiyuki %A Nakano, Yasuo %A Omura, Kanzo %A Matsumoto, Yasukazu %A Maeda, Kenji %A Hashimoto, Satoru %A Honda, Takeshi %T An improved method for detecting faecal Vibrio cholerae by PCR of the toxin A gene %D 1999 %J Journal of Medical Microbiology, %V 48 %N 10 %P 883-889 %@ 1473-5644 %R https://doi.org/10.1099/00222615-48-10-883 %I Microbiology Society, %X Summary A method for removing inhibitor(s) of the PCR assay for the direct detection of cholera toxin A gene (ctxA) in human faeces is described. Inhibitors of the PCR were removed by centrifugation and the activity of the remaining inhibitors by dilution. Based on these data, a protocol was developed for pre-treatment of stool specimens for PCR assay, and a simple and rapid protocol was constructed for the diagnostic detection of the ctxA genes in stool specimens in combination with single band detection on gel electrophoresis, dot-blot hybridisation and enrichment culture. This protocol was applied to clinical specimens and showed that the PCR method gave 100% agreement with established culture methods for the detection of cholera toxin-producing Vibrio cholerae O1. This protocol was considered to be useful because of its simplicity and the rapidity of diagnosis. %U https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/00222615-48-10-883