title: New diagnostic tools for neonatal sepsis: the role of a real-time polymerase chain reaction for the early detection and identification of bacterial and fungal species in blood samples.
abstract: Early diagnosis and treatment of neonatal sepsis are essential to prevent severe and life threatening complications. Consequently, rapid diagnostic tests capable to differentiate infected from non-infected newborns have the potential to make a significant impact on neonatal care. A new real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR; LightCycler SeptiFast test M GRADE) has been proposed in the routine assessment of neonatal sepsis for the detection and identification of bacterial and fungal DNA from microorganisms which cause approximately 90% of all blood stream infections. The LightCycler SeptiFast test can detect and identify simultaneously the 25 most important bacterial and fungal species causing bloodstream infections within few hours by using a small volume of a single whole blood sample. Real-time PCR can be easily incorporated into the hospital setting for term or near-term infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit for sepsis evaluation.
authors: Laboratory Medicine, University-Hospital San Martino, Genova, Italy.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Mussap
authors: M P
authors: MP
authors: Molinari
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Senno
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Gritti
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Soro
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Mannelli
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Fabris
mesh_terms: D016470:Bacteremia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000097:blood; D016469:Fungemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D009181:Mycoses / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018805:Sepsis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004271:DNA, Fungal