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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, April 2005, p. 1515-1521, Vol. 43, No. 4
0095-1137/05/$08.00+0 doi:10.1128/JCM.43.4.1515-1521.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.
Identification of Clinically Relevant Viridans Streptococci by an Oligonucleotide Array
Chao Chien Chen,1
Lee Jene Teng,2
Seng Kaiung,1 and
Tsung Chain Chang1*
Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, School of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan,1
School of Medical Technology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China2
Received 13 October 2004/
Returned for modification 23 November 2004/
Accepted 30 November 2004
Viridans streptococci (VS) are common etiologic agents of subacute infective endocarditis and are capable of causing a variety of pyogenic infections. Many species of VS are difficult to differentiate by phenotypic traits. An oligonucleotide array based on 16S-23S rRNA gene intergenic spacer (ITS) sequences was developed to identify 11 clinically relevant VS. These 11 species were Streptococcus anginosus, S. constellatus, S. gordonii, S. intermedius, S. mitis, S. mutans, S. oralis, S. parasanguinis, S. salivarius, S. sanguinis, and S. uberis. The method consisted of PCR amplification of the ITS regions by using a pair of universal primers, followed by hybridization of the digoxigenin-labeled PCR products to a panel of species-specific oligonucleotides immobilized on a nylon membrane. After 120 strains of the 11 species of VG and 91 strains of other bacteria were tested, the sensitivity and specificity of the oligonucleotide array were found to be 100% (120 of 120 strains) and 95.6% (87 of 91 strains), respectively. S. pneumoniae cross-hybridized to the probes used for the identification of S. mitis, and simple biochemical tests such as optochin susceptibility or bile solubility should be used to differentiate S. pneumoniae from S. mitis. In conclusion, identification of species of VS by use of the present oligonucleotide array is accurate and could be used as an alternative reliable method for species identification of strains of VS.
* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, School of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, 1 University Rd., Tainan 701, Taiwan, Republic of China. Phone: 886-6-2353535, ext. 5790. Fax: 886-6-2363956. E-mail:
tsungcha{at}mail.ncku.edu.tw.
Journal of Clinical Microbiology, April 2005, p. 1515-1521, Vol. 43, No. 4
0095-1137/05/$08.00+0 doi:10.1128/JCM.43.4.1515-1521.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.
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