TABLE 2.
PCR detection of lowest number of spores in powders and nasal specimens
| Powdera | Wt (g)b | Lowest no. of spores with positive PCR results | Positive CTc (range) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wheat flour | 0.0050 | <20 | 31.62-36.48 |
| 0.0025 | <10 | 38.62-39.72 | |
| Baking soda | 0.0050 | <20 | 27.36-30.92 |
| 0.0025 | <10 | 38.18-38.39 | |
| Talcum powder | 0.0025 | <10 | 38.36-39.07 |
| Cornstarch | 0.0025 | <10 | 33.06-40.56 |
| Baking powder | 0.0025 | <10 | 39.06-39.46 |
| DOH powder 465 | 0.0025 | <10 | 26.17-35.71 |
| DOH powder 689 | 0.0025 | <10 | 27.39-39.04 |
| DOH powder 750 | 0.0025 | <10 | 25.42-38.76 |
| DOH powder 761 | 0.0025 | <10 | 32.55-39.26 |
| Nasal set A | NA | <10 | 29.60-39.54 |
| Nasal set B | NA | <100 | 34.54-41.4 |
| Nasal set C | NA | <10 | 34.99-40.93 |
| Nasal set D | NA | <10 | 28.66-44.09 |
| Nasal set E | NA | <25 | 31.96-33.42 |
| Nasal set F | NA | <50 | 28.04-28.83 |
| Nasal set G | NA | <10 | 29.60-30.01 |
| Nasal set H | NA | <10 | 28.49-34.73 |
a
DOH, Florida Department of Health.
b
NA, not applicable.
c
CT, cycle number in which the sample is considered positive by the instrument. The higher CT values in the ranges were observed with the Roche LightCycler. A background CT of 50 (50 cycles) was found in tests of all negative controls.