title: Rapid identification of Acinetobacter baumannii, Acinetobacter nosocomialis and Acinetobacter pittii with a multiplex PCR assay.
abstract: Acinetobacter baumannii, Acinetobacter nosocomialis and Acinetobacter pittii are clinically relevant members of the Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-A. baumannii (Acb) complex and important nosocomial pathogens. These three species are genetically closely related and phenotypically similar; however, they differ in their epidemiology, antibiotic resistance and pathogenicity. In this study, we investigated the use of a multiplex PCR-based assay designed to detect internal fragments of the 16S-23S rRNA intergenic region and the gyrB and recA genes. The assay was capable of differentiating A. baumannii, A. nosocomialis and A. pittii in a reliable manner. In 23 different reference strains and 89 clinical isolates of Acinetobacter species, the assay accurately identified clinically relevant Acb complex species except those 'between 1 and 3' or 'close to 13TU'. None of the non-Acb complex species was misidentified. In an analysis of 1034 positive blood cultures, the assay had a sensitivity of 92.4 % and specificity of 98.2 % for Acb complex identification. Our results show that a single multiplex PCR assay can reliably differentiate clinically relevant Acb complex species. Thus, this method may be used to better understand the clinical differences between infections caused by these species.
authors: Division of Infectious Diseases, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.|Institutes of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors: Te-Li
authors: TL
authors: Chen
authors: Department of Emergency, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.|Institutes of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors: Yi-Tzu
authors: YT
authors: Lee
authors: National Institute of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli County, Taiwan.|Division of Infectious Diseases, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.|Institutes of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors: Shu-Chen
authors: SC
authors: Kuo
authors: Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.|Division of Infectious Diseases, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors: Su-Pen
authors: SP
authors: Yang
authors: Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.|Division of Infectious Diseases, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.|Institutes of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors: Chang-Phone
authors: CP
authors: Fung
authors: Department of Medicine, Cheng Hsin General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors: Shou-Dong
authors: SD
authors: Lee
mesh_terms: D000150:Acinetobacter / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification*; D000151:Acinetobacter Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D027081:DNA Gyrase / Q000235:genetics; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D060885:Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D011938:Rec A Recombinases / Q000235:genetics; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; D011938:Rec A Recombinases; D027081:DNA Gyrase