Insertional sequence primers for Bordetella pertussis diagnostic polymerase chain reaction differentiate strains of Pseudomonas cepacia.

Insertion sequence primers originally intended to amplify a singular specific product for the rapid diagnosis of Bordetella pertussis respiratory infection were used to differentiate strains of Pseudomonas (Burkholderia) cepacia. A modified sample preparation of proteinase K treatment and boiling was used in lieu of DNA extraction. The method was simple, rapid, and reproducible. This scheme identified 10 variations among 35 strains. Repeat strains from patients with cystic fibrosis and epidemiologically linked strains from an infection associated with a jet gun injection device were homologous in each setting.