RAPD and ERIC-PCR coupled with HRM for species identification of non-dysenteriae Shigella species; as a potential alternative method.

We found RAPD-PCR-HRM method with high sensitivity and specificity (100 and 85% respectively) to identify non-dysenteriae Shigella species in clinical specimens. However, sensitivity and specificity of ERIC-PCR-HRM were evaluated 33 and 46% respectively and significantly lower than that of RAPD-PCR-HRM assay. Regardless of inherent poor reproducibility of DNA fingerprinting-based methods, RAPD-PCR-HRM assay can be considered as a potential alternative method to identify non-dysenteriae species of Shigella in clinical specimens. As we observed in the current study, HRM technique is more rapid, inexpensive, and sensitive than gel electrophoresis method to characterize PCR amplicons.