title: Diagnosis of group A streptococcal necrotizing fasciitis by using PCR to amplify the streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin B gene.
abstract: This study evaluated a PCR assay for detection of the streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin B (speB) gene from tissue biopsy specimens of patients with necrotizing fasciitis. speB was detected in specimens from all 10 patients with necrotizing fasciitis due to group A streptococcus. The assay was negative for all 11 patients without culture or serologic evidence of streptococcal infection. These results suggest that the detection of speB by PCR may be useful for confirming group A streptococcal infection when cultures are negative or not available.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Sunnybrook Health Science Centre, North York, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Louie
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Simor
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Louie
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McGeer
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Low
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001769:Blood; D003470:Culture Media; D005098:Exotoxins / Q000235:genetics*; D005205:Fascia / Q000382:microbiology; D019115:Fasciitis, Necrotizing / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D005784:Gene Amplification; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D003470:Culture Media; D005098:Exotoxins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C117980:SpeA protein, Streptococcus pyogenes; C027951:erythrogenic toxin