Determination of bacterial load by real-time PCR using a broad-range (universal) probe and primers set.

The design and evaluation of a set of universal primers and probe for the amplification of 16S rDNA from the Domain Bacteria to estimate total bacterial load by real-time PCR is reported, and the number of anaerobic bacteria estimated by the universal probe and primers set in carious dentine was 40-fold greater than the totalacterial load detected by culture methods, demonstrating the utility of real- time PCR in the analysis of this environment.