An overview on the application of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) in the diagnosis of bacterial infections

Abstract

This overview describes the principle of polymerase chain reaction as one of the most important techniques used in the diagnosis of bacterial infections due to its reliability, sensitivity and rapidness. It also identifies some of the limitations of the technique as well as some of the bacterial infections that can be diagnosed using the technique which include among others; Tuberculosis (TB), whooping cough, brain abscesses and spinal infection, otitis media with effusion, Mycoplasmal pneumonia, endophthalmitis and bacterial meningitis.