Journal of Clinical Microbiology, January 2000, p. 32-39, Vol. 38, No. 1
0095-1137/0/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


Departments of Medical Microbiology,1 Clinical Microbiology,2 Medical Biochemistry,3 Pediatrics,4 Obstetrics and Gynecology,5 Surgery,6 and Medicine,7 University of Turku, Turku, Finland
Received 6 July 1999/Returned for modification 28 August 1999/Accepted 22 September 1999
A broad-range bacterial PCR targeting rRNA genes (rDNAs) was used to directly analyze 536 clinical samples obtained from 459 hospitalized patients during a 4-year study period. The molecular diagnosis based on DNA sequencing of the PCR product was compared to that obtained by bacterial culture. The bacteriological diagnosis was concordant for 447 (83%) specimens. Broad-range rDNA PCR was the only method that yielded an etiologic diagnosis for 11 (2.4%) of 459 patients. Compared to culture and clinical assessment, the sensitivity of the PCR method combined with sequencing was 74.2%, and the specificity was between 98.7 and 99.6%. At present, the described molecular approach proved superior to bacterial culture in two clinical situations: infections caused by bacteria with unusual growth requirements and specimens taken during antimicrobial treatment of the patient.
Present address: Department of Microbiology and Immunology,
Stanford University School of Medicine, VA Palo Alto Health Care System
154T, Palo Alto, CA 94304.
Present address: National Public Health Institute, 20520 Turku, Finland.
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