| abstract |
Disclosed herein are oligonucleotide primers and probes that can be used to detect species of medical interest in the genus Mycobacterium. Also disclosed are genus-specific methods and kits for detecting Mycobacterium using the disclosed oligonucleotide primers and probes. Preferably, Mycobacterium are detected by amplifying the Mycobactenium nucleic acids using the disclosed amplification primers, and then detecting the amplified nucleic acids. In a more preferred embodiment, Mycobacterium nucleic acids are amplified and detected by thermophilic strand displacement amplification. |