The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has become an increasingly important tool in microbial diagnosis in recent years, mainly because of its rapidity, high sensitivity, and specificity. In a number of instances, parti- larly with noncultivatable and slow-growing microorganisms, reliable iden- fication and differentiation became possible only after the introduction of PCR-based methods. Because the number of published procedures is large and steadily rising, there is a need for critical evaluation, comparison of performance, and even- ally also standardization of methods to enable laboratory diagnosticians to select the optimal methodology. PCR Detection of Microbial Pathogens is designed to provide an ov- view of the possibilities and problems connected with the use of PCR-based identification and detection of important bacterial and other microbial pat- gens, among them several zoonotic agents. It is intended to provide micro- ologists and biochemists the opportunity to extend their knowledge of state-of-the-art detection procedures, as well as pre-PCR sample processing and various general aspects of PCR. The chapters of this volume have been written by investigators well conversant with molecular detection and iden- fication of microorganisms. They have contributed their extensive practical experience to the protocols, not only concerning PCR methodology itself, but also the highly important area of pre-amplification sample processing.
