Diagnostic accuracy of a 16S ribosomal DNA gene-based molecular technique (RT-PCR, microarray, and sequencing) for bacterial meningitis, early-onset neonatal sepsis, and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis

• Published in: Diagnostic microbiology and infectious disease 2011-02, Vol.69 (2), p.153-160
• Main Authors: Esparcia, Oscar, Montemayor, Michel, Ginovart, Gemma, Pomar, Virginia, Soriano, Germán, Pericas, Roser, Gurgui, Mercedes, Sulleiro, Elena, Prats, Guillem, Navarro, Ferran, Coll, Pere
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 16S rDNA; Bacteria; Bacteria - genetics; Bacterial detection; Bacterial Infections - diagnosis; Bacterial Infections - microbiology; Bacteriology; Biological and medical sciences; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Infectious Disease; Infectious diseases; Internal Medicine; Medical sciences; Meningitis, Bacterial - diagnosis; Microbiology; Miscellaneous; Molecular biology; Molecular Diagnostic Techniques; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; Peritonitis - diagnosis; Peritonitis - microbiology; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - genetics; Sensitivity and Specificity; Sepsis - diagnosis; Sepsis - microbiology; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Theranostics
• ISSN: 0732-8893; 1879-0070
• DOI: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2010.10.022

Abstract The diagnostic accuracy of a 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) gene-based molecular technique for bacterial meningitis (BM), early-onset neonatal sepsis (EONS), and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is evaluated. The molecular approach gave better results for BM diagnosis: sensitivity (S) was 90.6% compared to 78.1% for the bacterial culture. Percentages of cases correctly diagnosed (CCD) were 91.7% and 80.6%, respectively. For EONS diagnosis, S was 60.0% for the molecular approach and 70.0% for the bacterial culture; and CCD was 95.2% and 96.4%, respectively. For SPB diagnosis, the molecular approach gave notably poorer results than the bacterial cultures. S and CCD were 48.4% and 56.4% for the molecular approach and 80.6% and 89.1% for bacterial cultures. Nevertheless, bacterial DNA was detected in 53.3% of culture-negative samples. Accuracy of the 16S rDNA PCR approach differs depending on the sample, the microorganisms involved, the expected bacterial load, and the presence of bacterial DNA other than that from the pathogen implied in the infectious disease.