If a PCR test is done on a sinus sample for mycobacteria will hansen's disease show up?

Question

In other words does a pcr test test for broad array of mycobacteria? Including Hansen's

Answer 1

Depends if the primers, which set the limits of the sequence that will be amplified, are targeted against a gene common in all mycobacteria species or for a specific gene which may be found in just one species. Specially with this kind of bacteria primer selection is crucial since many differences exist between mycobacterium tuberculosis and mycobacterium leprae (the one which causes Hansen's disease).