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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, October 2008, p. 3465-3466, Vol. 46, No. 10
0095-1137/08/$08.00+0 doi:10.1128/JCM.00634-08
Copyright © 2008, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine,1 Department of Radiology, Chosun University College of Medicine, Gwang-Ju, South Korea2
Received 3 April 2008/ Returned for modification 6 July 2008/ Accepted 7 August 2008
In order to determine the effects of antibiotic treatment on the results of nested PCRs for scrub typhus, we investigated the frequency of positive outcomes at various times after antibiotic administration in patients with scrub typhus. The rate of detection by nested PCR with blood buffy coat before antibiotic administration was 90.5%. However, this decreased to 60.5% within 3 days after administration of antibiotics such as doxycycline and rifampin and to 10% by the fourth day following antibiotic administration. Since the sensitivity of nested PCR can be affected by antibiotic administration, clinicians should perform this PCR before antibiotic administration and at the latest within 3 days after antibiotic administration.
Published ahead of print on 20 August 2008.
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