title: Real-time polymerase chain reaction with melting analysis of positive blood culture specimens in bloodstream infections: diagnostic value and turnaround time.
abstract: A Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with melting analysis was devised to target bacterial and fungal genes together with the most prevalent antimicrobial resistance genes in 250 positive blood culture broths. This method allowed the blood culture cultivated pathogens to be classified into clinically relevant groups such as Enterobacteriaceae, oxidase-positive bacilli, oxidase-positive coccobacilli, S. aureus and yeast. Enterococci and streptococci could be distinguished from CoNS only by the Gram stain. Gram-positive bacilli were discriminated from Gram-positive cocci by Gram stain. Furthermore, the most important antimicrobial resistant genes such as mecA, vanA, bla TEM , bla SHV and bla CTX-M could be identified. All results were obtained with a turnaround time of three hours from the moment of blood culture positivity compared to 24-72 hours for phenotypic methods. In conclusion, the proposed approach can allow the clinician to implement proper early management of sepsis patients.
authors: University Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Italy. s.angeletti@unicampus.it
authors: Silvia
authors: S
authors: Angeletti
authors: Giovanni
authors: G
authors: Gherardi
authors: Lucia
authors: L
authors: De Florio
authors: Alessandra
authors: A
authors: Avola
authors: Francesca
authors: F
authors: Crea
authors: Elisabetta
authors: E
authors: Riva
authors: Massimiliano Andrea
authors: MA
authors: Vitali
authors: Sara
authors: S
authors: Galluzzo
authors: Giordano
authors: G
authors: Dicuonzo
mesh_terms: D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D018805:Sepsis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D013997:Time Factors