Development of a PCR-based method for detection of Nosema pernyi

Nosema pernyi is the lethal pathogen of pebrine disease in Antheraea pernyi. We have developed a PCR-based method for detection of N. pernyi using specific primers. The primers were designed by the reported conserved regions of microsporidian SSU rRNA. When the genomic DNA of N. pernyi was used as the DNA template, the specific DNA sequences were amplified by PCR. It was observed that PCR diagnosis of N. pernyi using the three sets of primers provided increased specificity and sensitivity when compared with light microscopy.