DNA amplification for the diagnosis of cat-scratch disease in small-quantity clinical specimens

Diagnosis of cat-scratch disease (CSD) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) o f lymph node fine-needle aspiration (FNA) and primary lesion specimens can he difficult owing to the minute amount of available material. A PCR assay specifically suited to test these specimens was developed. First, small-qua ntity (10 muL) samples were prepared from 17 CSD-positive and 16 CSD-negati ve specimens, and DNA extraction and amplification from these samples were compared using 3 methods. Sensitivity and specificity of PCR were 100% usin g material collected on glass microscope slides and by using Qiagen (Hilden , Germany) columns for DNA extraction. Then, this method was used to test I I archival glass microscope slides of FNA (7 malignant neoplasms, 4 undiagn osed lymphadenitis) and 2 primary lesion specimens. Two of the 4 lymphadeni tis samples and the 2 primary lesion specimens were PCR positive. The techn ique presented could facilitate CSD diagnosis from a wider range of clinica l samples.