Comparison between conventional culture and NAATs for the microbiological diagnosis in gonococcal infection.
Gonorrhea is a public health problem. Fast diagnostics is necessary. The aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic yield of culture with that of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in gonococcal infection. This is a study comparing the results of Neisseria gonorrhoeae detection by culture versus PCR from July to December 2012. Molecular diagnosis was performed by real-time PCR using the Versant CT/GC DNA 1.0 assay. In the 768 specimens, 96.9% the results were concordant. In 3.1%, the results were discordant, being PCR-positive and culture-negative in 21 cases and PCR-negative and culture-positive in 3. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value for culture were 86.2%, 99.8%, 99.2%, and 96.7%, and for PCR, 98.7%, 100%, 100% and 99.7%, respectively. In laboratories where antimicrobial susceptibility is monitored, an effective approach would be to perform culture in addition to PCR in symptomatic patients.
Microbiology Department, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: jserrapladevall@gmail.com.
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J
Serra-Pladevall
Microbiology Department, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
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E
Caballero
Microbiology Department, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain.
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G
Roig
Microbiology Department, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain.
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R
Juvé
Infectious Diseases Department, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain.
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MJ
Barbera
Microbiology Department, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
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A
Andreu
D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D006069:Gonorrhea / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
Culture; Diagnostics; Gonorrhea; Neisseria gonorrhoeae; PCR