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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.
Direct Amplification of rRNA Genes in Diagnosis of
Bacterial Infections
Kaisu
Rantakokko-Jalava,1,*
Simo
Nikkari,1,2,
Jari
Jalava,1,
Erkki
Eerola,1
Mikael
Skurnik,3
Olli
Meurman,2
Olli
Ruuskanen,4
Anna
Alanen,5
Esa
Kotilainen,6
Paavo
Toivanen,1 and
Pirkko
Kotilainen7
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.
*
Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of
Medical Microbiology, University of Turku, Kiinamyllynkatu 13, 20520 Turku, Finland. Phone: 358-2-3337423. Fax: 358-2-2330008. E-mail: kaisu.rantakokko{at}utu.fi.

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.
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.
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