title: Detection of bacteraemia in critically ill patients using 16S rDNA polymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To confirm the sensitivity of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique (versus blood cultures) and to gain a better understanding of the incidence of true- and false-positive results when using this technique.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fourteen-bed, level 3 intensive care unit.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hundred twenty-six critically ill adult patients. Hundred ninety-seven blood culture and PCR samples taken as clinically indicated for suspected sepsis, according to routine ICU protocol.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The PCR product (16SrDNA: 341F-1195R) was sequenced and compared with a database of known species (Genebank) to identify the bacterial nucleic acid. The PCR or blood culture result was classified as a true-positive if there was other microbiological or clinical supporting evidence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Intensive Care, Waikato Hospital, Pembroke Street, Hamilton, New Zealand. sleighj@hwl.co.nz
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sleigh
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cursons
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: La Pine
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000032:analysis; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D015723:Gene Library; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000379:methods*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal