title: Use of sodC versus ctrA for real-time polymerase chain reaction-based detection of Neisseria meningitidis in sterile body fluids.
abstract: We evaluated the use of a newly described sodC-based real-time-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay for detecting Neisseria meningitidis in normally sterile sites, such as cerebrospinal fluid and serum. The sodC-based RT-PCR assay has an advantage over ctrA for detecting nongroupable N. meningitidis isolates, which are commonly present in asymptomatic pharyngeal carriage. However, in our study, sodC-based RT-PCR was 7.5% less sensitive than ctrA. Given the public health impact of possible false-negative results due to the use of the sodC target gene alone, sodC-based RT-PCR for the diagnosis of meningococcal meningitis should be used with caution.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Imunologia, Instituto Adolfo Lutz, São Paulo, SP, Brasil. higa.fabio@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Fábio Takenori
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Higa
authors.forename: Lucila Okuyama
authors.initials: LO
authors.lastname: Fukasawa
authors.forename: Maria Gisele
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.forename: Maristela Marques
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Salgado
authors.forename: Ana Paula Silva de
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Lemos
authors.forename: Lee H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: Priscilla Lima de
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Carla Naufal da
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Claudio Tavares
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Sacchi
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D001826:Body Fluids / Q000382:microbiology*; D002353:Carrier State / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010614:Pharynx / Q000382:microbiology; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins