[The use of polymerase chain reaction in the diagnosis of invasive meningococcal disease].
Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) remains a serious public health problem. Although culture is the gold standard, previous antibiotic therapy reduces its sensibility. The aim of this study is the epidemiological analysis of IMD in our area, to assess the usefulness of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to increase its diagnostic accuracy,and to show the association of antibiotic administration with the negative result of the culture.


METHODS
A retrospective study was conducted on all children younger than 16 years with microbiologically (positive culture and/or PCR) confirmed IMD, admitted to our hospital between 2004-2012.


RESULTS
Seventy-five patients were included, of whom 52% had sepsis, 30.7% meningitis, and 17.3% with both of them. PCR was positive in all samples, whereas a positive was seen 50.7% of the cultures. Previously administered antibiotic was documented in 40 patients (53.3%), and 40% of them were confirmed by PCR only.


CONCLUSIONS
PCR was the only test providing evidence for IMD diagnosis and serogroup determination in almost 39% of cases.
Unidad de Patología Infecciosa e Inmunodeficiencias de Pediatría, Hospital Universitario Vall d'Hebron, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Institut de Recerca Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, España.
C
C
Fernández-San José
Unidad de Patología Infecciosa e Inmunodeficiencias de Pediatría, Hospital Universitario Vall d'Hebron, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Institut de Recerca Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, España. Electronic address: fmoraga@acmcb.es.
F A
FA
Moraga-Llop
Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Vall d'Hebron, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Institut de Recerca Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, España.
G
G
Codina
Unidad de Patología Infecciosa e Inmunodeficiencias de Pediatría, Hospital Universitario Vall d'Hebron, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Institut de Recerca Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, España.
P
P
Soler-Palacín
Unidad de Patología Infecciosa e Inmunodeficiencias de Pediatría, Hospital Universitario Vall d'Hebron, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Institut de Recerca Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, España.
M
M
Espiau
Unidad de Patología Infecciosa e Inmunodeficiencias de Pediatría, Hospital Universitario Vall d'Hebron, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Institut de Recerca Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, España.
C
C
Figueras
D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012189:Retrospective Studies
Enfermedad meningocócica; Infección por meningococo; Meningitis por meningococo; Meningococcal disease; Meningococcal infections; Meningococcal meningitis; Polymerase chain reaction; Reacción en cadena de la polimerasa