Species-specific, genus-specific and universal DNA probes and amplification primers to rapidly detect and identify common bacterial and fungal pathogens and associated antibiotic resistance genes from clinical specimens for diagnosis in microbiology laboratories

1. A method of simultaneously assaying for the presence and identity or identities of more than one target bacterial or fungal species selected from the group consisting of Enterococcus faecium, Listeria monocytogenes, Neisseria meningitidis, Streptococcus agalactiae , and Candida albicans , and at least one target bacterial antibiotic resistance gene selected from the group consisting of bla tem , bla shv , bla rob , bla oxa , blaZ, aadB, aacC1, aacC2, aacC3, aac6′-IIa, aacA4, aad(6′), vanA, vanB, vanC, msrA, sarA, aac(6′) aph(2″), vat, vga, ermA, ermB, ermC, mecA, int and sul, in a sample comprising:

simultaneously contacting the sample with a plurality of species-specific primer pairs, wherein each pair of said species-specific primer pairs specifically hybridizes to and amplifies nucleic acids from only one target bacterial or fungal species selected from the group consisting of Enterococcus faecium, Listeria monocFtogenes, Neisseria meningitidis, Streptococcus agalactiae , and Candida albicans ; and

one or more antibiotic resistance gene primer pairs, wherein each pair of said one or more antibiotic resistance gene primer pairs specifically hybridizes to and amplifies only one antibiotic resistance gene selected from the group consisting of bla tem , bla shv , bla rob , bla oxa , blaZ, aadB, aacC1, aacC2, aacC3, aac6′-IIa, aacA4, aad(6′), vanA, vanB, vanC, msrA, satA, aac(6′)-aph(2″), vat, vga, ermA, ermB, ermC, mecA, int and sul;

amplifying target nucleic acids from the sample under a single amplification protocol; and

detecting various amplified products produced by the single amplification protocol, wherein the detecting step is adapted to differentiate said amplification products such that the presence and identity or identities of said more than one target bacterial or fungal species and said at least one target bacterial antibiotic resistance gene are simultaneously assayed.

2. The method of claim 1 , the amplification protocol comprises an amplification method selected from the group consisting of:

(a) polymerase chain reaction (PCR),

(b) ligase chain reaction,

(c) nucleic acid sequence-based amplification,

(d) self-sustained sequence replication,

(e) strand displacement amplification,

(f) branched DNA signal amplification,

(g) nested PCR, and

(h) multiplex PCR.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the amplification method is PCR.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the amplification method is multiplex PCR.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein, in each amplification cycle of said PCR, an annealing step is 30 seconds at 45-55° C. and a denaturation step is only one second at 95° C. without any time for an elongation step.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting step comprises hybridizing said amplification products with a probe.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said sample consists of one or more bacterial colonies.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said detecting step comprises resolving said amplification products by gel electrophoresis.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said detecting step comprises contacting said amplification products with one or more probes, wherein each of the one or more probes only specifically hybridizes to one of the amplification products amplified from the nucleic acids from only one of said more than one target bacterial or fungal species and wherein each of the one or more probes is coupled to a fluorescent dye.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising measuring the amount of fluorescence produced by said fluorescent dye.