title: Direct detection of Streptococcus pneumoniae in positive blood cultures by real-time polymerase chain reaction.
abstract: We developed a real-time polymerase chain reaction specific for Streptococcus pneumoniae to be applied directly from blood culture bottles without previous DNA extraction step. For the 128 blood culture bottles tested, the assay had 94% and 98.4% sensitivity and specificity, respectively. This assay provides rapid and accurate identification of this pathogen.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Microbiology Department, University Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues-Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Selva
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Esteva
authors.forename: Amadeu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gené
authors.forename: Maria Fernández
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: de Sevilla
authors.forename: Susanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hernandez-Bou
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Muñoz-Almagro
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D001769:Blood / Q000382:microbiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000302:isolation & purification*