Rapid diagnosis of coccidioidomycosis with a DNA probe to ribosomal RNA.
BACKGROUND: Although nucleic acid probe hybridization assays were previously exclusively used as a tool in the research setting, such assays have recently become commercially available for the detection of a variety of infectious microorganisms. OBSERVATIONS: We used a commercially available DNA hybridization probe test that targets organism-specific ribosomal RNA sequences to rapidly diagnose a patient with disseminated coccidioidomycosis. The natural amplification inherent to such DNA:RNA probe systems obviates the need for electrophoretic separation and amplification steps, which are often required in more traditional DNA:DNA probe assays. With this probe, culture confirmation was obtained within 48 hours after the clinical specimens were received. CONCLUSION: Rapid DNA hybridization probe techniques have wide application in infectious diseases, especially those characterized by slow culture growth of pathogens such as deep fungi and atypical mycobacteria.