Patent ID: 6514694
Filing Date: 2003-02-04
Classification: A61K,A61P,C07K,C12N,Y02A,Y10T

Abstract:
A method to detect an encysted stage of a parasite in feces, said encysted stage selected from the group consisting of a cyst and an oocyst, said method comprising:(a) contacting a sample of feces with a solid support capable of binding said encysted parasites; (b) allowing the sample to dry onto the solid support; (c) washing the sample on the solid support with an aqueous wash solution; (d) adding an aqueous elution solution to the sample and eluting DNA from the sample into the aqueous elution solution by heating; (e) PCR amplifying encysted parasite-specific DNA with primers specific to the encysted parasite being detected; and (f) detecting the presence of a PCR amplification product resulting from amplification of encysted parasite-specific DNA in the sample, wherein the presence of said product indicates the presence of encysted parasite in said feces; and wherein said method is conducted in the absence of a step to remove or inhibit inhibitors of PCR amplification.