Evaluation of a multiplex real-time PCR assay for detecting pathogens in cardiac valve tissue in patients with endocarditis.
With a novel real-time multiplex polymerase chain reaction test, the LightCycler SeptiFast® test, 25 bacterial and fungal species can be identified directly in blood. The SeptiFast® test has been used for rapid etiologic diagnosis in infectious endocarditis using blood samples but has not been evaluated directly on cardiac vegetations in patients being treated for infectious endocarditis. We prospectively analyzed 15 samples of heart valve tissue with active infectious endocarditis using the SeptiFast® test and compared the test's sensitivity with that of blood culture, valve tissue culture, and the SeptiFast® test in blood. The sensitivity of the SeptiFast test in heart valve tissue was 100%. The test results confirmed the diagnosis obtained using blood culture in 13 cases and identified the pathogen in 2 cases where blood culture tested negative. The sensitivity of the SeptiFast® test in heart valve tissue was greater than that obtained with conventional culture of vegetations or with the SeptiFast test in blood.
Fernández
Angel L
AL
Servicio de Cirugía Cardiaca, Hospital Clínico Universitario, Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, España. alfg@secardiologia.es
Varela
Eduardo
E
Martínez
Lucía
L
Martínez
Amparo
A
Sierra
Juan
J
González-Juanatey
José R
JR
Regueiro
Benito
B
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D004696:Endocarditis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000601:surgery; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005658:Fungi / Q000235:genetics*; D006351:Heart Valves / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*
D004269:DNA, Bacterial