( Screen samples for disease states or ...)New PCR Primers for Human Diseases

Screen samples for disease states or pathogens

Gabriela M. Tobal
Stratagene Cloning Systems, Inc.

W. S. Nichols

Stratagene is introducing PCR primer sets for detecting 13 human diseases. The sequences of these primers have been published previously and are well characterized. With these tested primer sets, medical researchers can use PCR technology to identify the presence of many human diseases.

Molecular detection and genetic characterization of human disease are key components of current research in medicine. In order to detect the presence of genetic mutation and infectious agents, PCR is used routinely in research laboratories. The speed and sensitivity of PCR-based assays allow shorter detection times for bacterial and viral pathogens whose detection would otherwise require culturing and staining of samples, detecting metabolic products and performing serologic tests.

To aid in the diagnosis of specific diseases in biological materials, Stratagene is introducing a series of PCR primers that are derived from sequences published in GenBank. These human disease primers amplify genes from samples infected with the following organisms: Human immunodeficiency virus, type 1 (HIV-1),^1,2 hepatitis B (HBV),³ hepatitis C (HCV) (RT-PCR primers*, use cDNA as template),^4,5 herpes simplex virus, types 1 and 2 (HSV-1, HSV-2),^6-8 human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6),^9,10 parvovirus B19,¹¹ genital human papillomavirus (HPV),^12-14 cytomegalovirus (CMV),^15,16 Toxoplasma gondii,¹⁷ varicella-zoster virus (VZV),¹⁸ Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)¹⁹ and adenovirus.²⁰ Primers to detect the human coagulation factor V (Leiden) mutation²¹ are also available.

PCR Assays of Primer Sets