title: Comparison of synovial fluid culture and 16S rRNA PCR in dogs with suspected septic arthritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To prospectively compare the sensitivity and specificity of 16S rRNA PCR with culture for identifying the causative organism in synovial fluid obtained from dogs with suspected septic arthritis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Synovial fluid cytology, PCR analysis and aerobic, anaerobic and Mycoplasma culture of samples from the affected joints of 18 dogs presenting with suspected septic arthritis were performed. Synovial fluid samples from the corresponding contralateral joints of 7 dogs were also analysed as negative controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant difference between the sensitivity of bacterial detection via culture (63.2%) versus PCR (73.7%) of synovial fluid (P=0.728) or between culture and combined PCR and culture (89.5%) of synovial fluid (P=0.124). The specificity of PCR (42.9%) was significantly lower than culture specificity (100%) (P=0.07).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although 16S PCR may hold potential as an ancillary diagnostic test for identifying the causative organism in dogs with septic arthritis, our study failed to demonstrate improved accuracy compared with traditional synovial fluid culture.
authors.affiliation: Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
authors.forename: V F
authors.initials: VF
authors.lastname: Scharf
authors.affiliation: Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.affiliation: Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Wellehan
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiologic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Wamsley
authors.affiliation: Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Richardson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001170:Arthritis, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
keywords: bacterial culture; cytology; dogs; septic arthritis; synovial fluid