Identification of Burkholderia pseudomallei and related bacteria by multiple-locus sequence typing-derived PCR and real-time PCR.

Close relatedness and genomic plasticity characterizing the high-threat pathogens Burkholderia pseudomallei and Burkholderia mallei render the molecular diagnosis of these species hard to guarantee with a maximal confidence level. This article describes fast molecular assays derived from compiled sequences of housekeeping genes determined in more than 1,000 strains. The assays proved to be robust and appropriate for general detection as well as species identification purposes.