Evaluation of the Speed-oligo Mycobacteria assay for the rapid differentiation of frequent Mycobacterium ssp – a multi-centre and multi-country survey

A new DNA line probe assay (Speed-oligo Mycobacteria, Vircell) was evaluated for the differentiation of mycobacterial species. It is based on PCR targeting the 16S-23S rRNA internal transcribed spacer region followed by hybridization to specific oligonucleotides by means of a simple dip stick technique. In a first phase of the study the technical validity was evaluated using 166 strains comprising representatives of all taxa identifiable by the assay (n=109) as well as further Mycobacterium ssp. (n=51) and non-mycobacterial species (n=6). All 109 mycobacterial strains covered by Speed-Oligo were correctly identi…