Nucleic acid has been isolated from a urethral swab and a PCR is performed on the sample to detect Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The positive control has a band at the expected size; the negative template control and the contamination controls do not have bands; and the amplification control has a band of expected size. The patient sample has a band consistent with the amplification control band and does not have a band corresponding to the positive control band. How is this result interpreted?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The absence of a band corresponding to the positive control band indicates that there were no amplifiable N. gonorrhoeae nucleic acids in the patient's urethral swab sample. The presence of a band consistent with the amplification control band indicates that the PCR reaction worked properly and the absence of contamination in the patient's sample. Thus, this is considered a true negative result.

Nucleic Acid Has Been Isolated from a Urethral Swab and a PCR