This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow An erratum has been published
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Øvstebø, R.
Right arrow Articles by Kierulf, P.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Øvstebø, R.
Right arrow Articles by Kierulf, P.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, July 2004, p. 2980-2987, Vol. 42, No. 7
0095-1137/04/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/JCM.42.7.2980-2987.2004
Copyright © 2004, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Use of Robotized DNA Isolation and Real-Time PCR To Quantify and Identify Close Correlation between Levels of Neisseria meningitidis DNA and Lipopolysaccharides in Plasma and Cerebrospinal Fluid from Patients with Systemic Meningococcal Disease

Reidun Øvstebø,1* Petter Brandtzaeg,2 Berit Brusletto,1 Kari Bente Foss Haug,1 Knut Lande,1 Ernst Arne Høiby,3 and Peter Kierulf1

Departments of Clinical Chemistry,1 Pediatrics, Ullevål University Hospital,2 Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway3

Received 13 January 2004/ Returned for modification 3 March 2004/ Accepted 4 April 2004

The present study, using robotized DNA isolation and quantitative PCR based on the Neisseria meningitidis-specific capsular transport A gene, demonstrates the ease, rapidity, specificity, and sensitivity of quantifying neisserial DNA in plasma (n = 65) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) (n = 12) from patients with systemic meningococcal disease. We found a close correlation between the levels of neisserial DNA and lipopolysaccharides in plasma (r = 0.905) and in CSF (r = 0.964). The median concentration of neisserial DNA in plasma in 23 patients with persistent shock was 2 x 107 copies/ml, versus <103 copies/ml in 42 nonshock patients. Furthermore, quantitative PCR made possible estimates of the total number of meningococci in plasma, as opposed to conventional blood cultures, suggesting about 1,000 dead meningococci for every viable bacterium. Finally, with logistic regression analyses, neisserial DNA may predict a patient's disease severity and outcome at hospital admission. The number of meningococci in plasma and CSF appears to be the main determinant of the lipopolysaccharide levels, clinical presentation, and outcome.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: The Research and Development Group, Department of Clinical Chemistry, Ullevål University Hospital, NO-0407 Oslo, Norway. Phone: 47-22119490. Fax: 47-22118189. E-mail: reidun.ovstebo{at}medisin.uio.no.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, July 2004, p. 2980-2987, Vol. 42, No. 7
0095-1137/04/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/JCM.42.7.2980-2987.2004
Copyright © 2004, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Ho, Y.-C., Chang, S.-C., Lin, S.-R., Wang, W.-K. (2009). High Levels of mecA DNA Detected by a Quantitative Real-Time PCR Assay Are Associated with Mortality in Patients with Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia. J. Clin. Microbiol. 47: 1443-1451 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Callaghan, M. J., Buckee, C., McCarthy, N. D., Ibarz Pavon, A. B., Jolley, K. A., Faust, S., Gray, S. J., Kaczmarski, E. B., Levin, M., Kroll, J. S., Maiden, M. C. J., Pollard, A. J. (2008). Opa Protein Repertoires of Disease-Causing and Carried Meningococci. J. Clin. Microbiol. 46: 3033-3041 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Hellerud, B. C., Stenvik, J., Espevik, T., Lambris, J. D., Mollnes, T. E., Brandtzaeg, P. (2008). Stages of Meningococcal Sepsis Simulated In Vitro, with Emphasis on Complement and Toll-Like Receptor Activation. Infect. Immun. 76: 4183-4189 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Ovstebo, R., Olstad, O. K., Brusletto, B., Moller, A. S., Aase, A., Haug, K. B. F., Brandtzaeg, P., Kierulf, P. (2008). Identification of Genes Particularly Sensitive to Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in Human Monocytes Induced by Wild-Type versus LPS-Deficient Neisseria meningitidis Strains. Infect. Immun. 76: 2685-2695 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Munford, R. S. (2008). Sensing Gram-Negative Bacterial Lipopolysaccharides: a Human Disease Determinant?. Infect. Immun. 76: 454-465 [Full Text]  
  • Peters, R. P. H., van Agtmael, M. A., Gierveld, S., Danner, S. A., Groeneveld, A. B. J., Vandenbroucke-Grauls, C. M. J. E., Savelkoul, P. H. M. (2007). Quantitative Detection of Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis DNA in Blood To Diagnose Bacteremia in Patients in the Intensive Care Unit. J. Clin. Microbiol. 45: 3641-3646 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Magnusson, M., Tobes, R., Sancho, J., Pareja, E. (2007). Cutting Edge: Natural DNA Repetitive Extragenic Sequences from Gram-Negative Pathogens Strongly Stimulate TLR9. J. Immunol. 179: 31-35 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Mogensen, T. H., Paludan, S. R., Kilian, M., Ostergaard, L. (2006). Live Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Neisseria meningitidis activate the inflammatory response through Toll-like receptors 2, 4, and 9 in species-specific patterns. J. Leukoc. Biol. 80: 267-277 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»