Use of the polymerase chain reaction to detect the glanders and melioidosis pathogens in experimental infection

Glanders and melioidosis are serious infectious diseases of humans and animals. The pathogens of these infections are potential group B bioterrorism agents. In this article we studied the possibility of using primers based on the flagellar gene to identify Burkholderia mallei and Burkholderia pseudomallei and to diagnose experimental glanders and melioidosis. On the basis of the results it was concluded that PCR using the primers developed can be recommended for inclusion in the scheme of laboratory diagnosis of glanders and melioidosis, both for the identification of pure cultures and in the investigation of experimental clinical material.