TABLE 4.
Sensitivity evaluations of three FRET probe-based real-time PCR assays using fecal specimens and water sample concentrates seeded with various levels of low numbers of C. parvum oocystsa
| Specimen type | Level | No. of oocysts/PCR | 18S-LC1 assay |
18S-LC2 assay |
hsp90 assay |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg CT ± SD (no. of positive specimens/total no. of specimens) | Avg Tm (°C) ± SD (no. of positive specimens/total no. of specimens) | Avg CT ± SD (no. of positive specimens/total no. of specimens) | Avg Tm (°C) ± SD (no. of positive specimens/total no. of specimens) | Avg CT ± SD (no. of positive specimens/total no. of specimens) | Avg Tm (°C) ± SD (no. of positive specimens/total no. of specimens) | |||
| Feces | I | 2 | 28.76 (1/5) | 57.31 ± 0.20 (4/5) | 35.35 ± 1.59 (5/5) | 62.69 ± 0.09 (5/5) | 36.06 (1/5) | 51.13 ± 0.17 (4/5) |
| II | 1 | 29.23 ± 0.49 (3/5) | 57.19 ± 0.06 (3/5) | 35.13 ± 1.38 (5/5) | 62.76 ± 0.06 (5/5) | 34.19 ± 2.70 (5/5) | 51.27 ± 0.18 (5/5) | |
| III | 0.4 | − | 58.07 (1/5) | 37.31 ± 1.54 (3/5) | 62.50 ± 0.34 (3/5) | − | − | |
| IV | 0.2 | − | − | 37.13 (1/5) | 62.75 (1/5) | 36.66 (1/5) | 51.35 (1/5) | |
| Water | V | 1 | − | 57.19 (1/5) | 35.18 ± 0.74 (5/5) | 62.83 ± 0.04 (5/5) | 37.11 ± 1.17 (4/5) | 51.44 ± 0.02 (4/5) |
| VI | 0.5 | 28.14 (1/5) | 56.92 (1/5) | 34.99 ± 1.87 (4/5) | 62.93 ± 0.05 (4/5) | 38.35 ± 1.06 (3/5) | 51.53 ± 0.12 (3/5) | |
| VII | 0.2 | − | − | 37.42 ± 1.76 (5/5) | 62.86 ± 0.03 (5/5) | 38.93 (1/5) | 51.67 (1/5) | |
| VIII | 0.1 | − | − | 36.81 ± 0.92 (3/5) | 62.80 ± 0.04 (3/5) | 38.04 (1/5) | 51.46 (1/5) | |
a
−, not detected.