TABLE 2.

Comparisons of the sensitivities of detection of 18S rRNA from Cryptosporidium oocysts using nested PCR and real-time LightCycler PCR detection^a

No. of oocysts or type of test	Sensitivityb of:
	Nested PCR	LightCycler real-time PCR
1,000, 1,000, 997	+, +, +	+, +, +
500, 497, 518	+, +, +	+, +, +
100, 108, 106	+, +, +	+, +, +
78, 74, 77	+, +, +	+, +, +
58, 53, 62	+, +, +	+, +, +
13, 10, 11	+, +, +	+, +, +
5, 3, 3	−, −, −	+, +, +
1, 1, 1	−, −, −	+, +, +
Negative control (blind trial)	−, −, −	−, −, −

^aEach assay was performed in triplicate, and oocyst numbers were determined using standard IFA and fluorescence-microscopic examination (5, 17) at ×40 and ×100 magnifications.

^b+, positive result; −, negative result.