Nucleic acid testing (NAT) is the method of choice for detection and quantification of a wide range of micro organisms. Primerdesign manufactures and supplies high quality quantitative real-time PCR kits for the detection and simultaneous quantification of numerous significant pathogens. A copy number standard curve is provided for quantification and the internal extraction template (DNA or RNA), controls for the quality of the nucleic acid extraction and eliminates false negative results. The kit is designed with the broadest possible detection profile to ensure that all clinically relevant strains and subtypes are detected. Target sequences are selected by working with data from key opinion leaders in the field. Multiple sequence alignments and unprecedented real-time PCR expertise in design and validation ensure the best possible kit.

Candida albicans is a single-celled, diploid fungus and is part of the natural human gut flora but as an opportunistic pathogen can also cause oral and genital infections. C. albicans, which is present in around 80% of the population without causing infection, can change from a unicellular organism to a pathogenic, multi-cellular, filamentous form. In the commensal form, the fungus lives in the gastro-intestinal tract and growth is regulated by other microorganisms as well as the host immune system. The change between these forms, known as phenotypic switching may be regulated by differential gene expression and regulation of certain transcription factors. Ultimately, the phenotypic switching to the multicellular form allows penetration of the mucosal membrane by which infection occurs.

The Primerdesign genesig Kit for Candida albicans (C.albicans) genomes is designed for the in vitro quantification of C.albicans genomes. The kit is designed to have a broad detection profile. Specifically, the primers represent 100% homology with over 95% of the NCBI database reference sequences available at the time of design. The C.albicans primers have been designed for the specific and exclusive in vitro quantification of all C. albicans isolates and do not detect other Candida species. The target sequence (RPR1) has previously been shown to be a good genetic marker for C. albicans in other real time PCR based studies (Innings A et.al 2007). The primers and probe sequences in this kit have 100% homology with over 95% of reference sequences contained in the NCBI database.