POLYMERASE-CHAIN-REACTION REVERSE CROSS-BLOT HYBRIDIZATION ASSAY IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF SPOROTRICHOID MYCOBACTERIUM-MARINUM INFECTION

In this paper, we report a patient in whom Mycobacterium marinum sporo trichoid infection was diagnosed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the 16S rRNA gene and subsequent: analysis of the am plified product in a reverse cross-blot hybridization assay with mycob acterial species-specific probes. This molecular method allowed us rap idly to detect and identify this organism directly in the patient's le sional sit-in biopsy rather than in cultures in conventional media. Th e identification provided by PCR-reverse cross-blot hybridization assa y was confirmed by examination of the morphological and biochemical fe atures and by high-performance liquid chromatography analysis of mycol ic acid from the clinical isolate, suggesting the validity of our mole cular approach.