PCR DETECTION AND QUANTITATION OF PREDOMINANT ANAEROBIC-BACTERIA IN HUMAN AND ANIMAL FECAL SAMPLES

PCR procedures based on 16S rRNA gene sequences specific for 12 anaero bic bacteria that predominate in the human intestinal tract were devel oped and used for quantitative detection of these species in human (ad ult and baby) feces and animal (rat, mouse, cat, dog, monkey, and rabb it) feces, Fusobacterium prausnitzii, Peptostreptococcus productus, an d Clostridium clostridiiforme had high PCR titers (the maximum dilutio ns for positive PCR results ranged from 10(-3) to 10(-8)) in all of th e human and animal fecal samples tested, Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, Bacteroides vulgatus, and Eubacterium limosum also showed higher PCR titers (10(-2) to 10(-6)) in adult human feces, The other bacteria tes ted, including Escherichia coli, Bifidobacterium adolescentis, Bifidob acterium longum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Eubacterium biforme, and B acteroides distasonis, were either at low PCR titers (less than 10(-2) ) or not detected by PCR, The reported PCR procedure including the fec al sample preparation method is simplified and rapid and eliminates th e DNA isolation steps.