Patent ID: 8598088

Claim:
A method for detecting a microorganism, comprising: reducing the complexity of a microbial genome or a microbial nucleic acid by generating a derivative form of the microbial genome or a derivative form of the microbial nucleic acid in which substantially all of the positions naturally occupied by cytosines are occupied by uracils in the derivative form of the microbial genome or the derivative form of the microbial nucleic acid by treating the microbial genome or the microbial nucleic acid with an agent selected from the group consisting of bisulphite, acetate and citrate, wherein said agent modifies cytosine to uracil; wherein the derivative form of the microbial genome or the derivative form of the microbial nucleic acid contains a nucleic acid being specific for a microorganism having the microbial genome or the microbial nucleic acid; and detecting the microbial-specific nucleic acid in the derivative form of the microbial genome or the derivative form of the microbial nucleic acid, wherein the detection of the microbial-specific nucleic acid is indicative of the presence of a microorganism having the microbial genome or the microbial nucleic acid.