Polyclonal antibody-based tests lack specificity. For Babesiosis Nucleic acid based diagnostic tests impart enhanced performance, when compared to currently available microbiological and immunological methods for the detection of parasites in test samples. These are direct assays for the presence of the parasite and have the consequent potential to identify the etiological agent. The assay is independent of the host's immune response schedule. Therefore, much earlier detection of the parasite is possible.
Direct testing allows the monitoring of the efficacy of an antibiotic regime.
The PCR assay detects DNA and can be performed on fresh or archived clinical specimens. The PCR-based diagnostic assay for Babesiosis is highly specific and sensitive. It is a three-step assay, performed directly on whole blood. During the second step, the purified Babesia fragment is PCR amplified with Babesia-specific primers. The primer is a synthetically produced nucleic acid sequence that, by design and selection, contains Babesia-specific nucleotide sequences.