title: Real-time PCR TaqMan assay for rapid screening of bloodstream infection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sepsis is one of the main causes of mortality and morbidity. The rapid detection of pathogens in blood of septic patients is essential for adequate antimicrobial therapy and better prognosis. This study aimed to accelerate the detection and discrimination of Gram-positive (GP) and Gram-negative (GN) bacteria and Candida species in blood culture samples by molecular methods.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Real-GP®, -GN®, and -CAN® real-time PCR kit (M&D, Wonju, Republic of Korea) assays use the TaqMan probes for detecting pan-GP, pan-GN, and pan-Candida species, respectively. The diagnostic performances of the real-time PCR kits were evaluated with 115 clinical isolates, 256 positive and 200 negative blood culture bottle samples, and the data were compared to results obtained from conventional blood culture.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-seven reference strains and 115 clinical isolates were correctly identified with specific probes corresponding to GP-bacteria, GN-bacteria and Candida, respectively. The overall sensitivity and specificity of the real-time PCR kit with blood culture samples were 99.6% and 89.5%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Real-GP®, -GN®, and -CAN® real-time PCR kits could be useful tools for the rapid and accurate screening of bloodstream infections (BSIs).
authors.forename: Hye-Young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Sunghyun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hyunjung
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jungho
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yeun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Soon-Deok
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Hyunwoo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Yeonim
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, College of Health Sciences, Yonsei University, Wonju, Gangwon 220-710, Republic of Korea. u931018@yonsei.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Young
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Uh
authors.forename: Hyeyoung
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D016470:Bacteremia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002175:Candida / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D058387:Candidemia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018805:Sepsis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013997:Time Factors