Optimization of the detection of microbes in blood from immunocompromised patients with haematological malignancies.
Clin Microbiol Infect. 2009 Jul 14;
Authors: Skovbjerg S, Welinder-Olsson C, Kondori N, Kjellin E, Nowrouzian F, Wold AE, Stockelberg D, Larsson P, Wennerås C
Clin Microbiol InfectAbstract The present study aimed to improve the rate of detection of blood-borne microbes by using PCRs with pan-bacterial and Candida specificity. Seventeen per cent of the blood samples (n = 178) collected from 107 febrile patients with haematological malignancies were positive using standard culture (BacT/Alert system). Candida PCR was positive in 12 patients, only one of whom scored culture-positive. Bacterial PCR using fresh blood samples was often negative, but the detection rate increased when the blood was pre-incubated for 2 days. These data indicate that PCR assays might be a complement for the detection of blood-borne opportunists in immunocompromised haematology patients.
PMID: 19624509 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]