Rapid identification of mycobacteria to the species level by polymerase chain reaction and restriction enzyme analysis--a case report of corneal ulcer.

We report a case of corneal ulcer caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria which was confirmed by smear and culture. We attempted a new method for the rapid identification of mycobacteria to the species level on the basis of evaluation by the polymerase chain reaction of the gene encoding. The method is involved with restriction enzyme analysis of PCR product obtained with primers common to all mycobacteria. Using the restriction enzyme Bst EII and Hae III, clinically relevant and other frequent laboratory isolates were differentiated to the species or subspecies level by PCR-restriction enzyme analysis. The main prevalence of pattern analysis is Mycobacterium chelonae subsp. abscessus in this case. The outcome suggests that PCR-restriction enzyme analysis should be a useful method for early diagnosis concerning nontuberculous mycobacterial keratitis.