Wiener klinische Wochenschrift
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Wien. Klin. Wochenschr. · Apr 2012
Rapid detection of bloodstream pathogens by real-time PCR in patients with sepsis.
Rapid detection of bloodstream infections is an important issue for a better patient outcome. The aim of our study was thus to evaluate the LightCycler SeptiFast assay for diagnosis of bloodstream pathogens in a tertiary hospital in Western Austria. The 71 blood samples of 61 patients with presumed sepsis were investigated and compared with conventional blood culture system results. ⋯ In 3 samples, the blood culture assay was positive whereas the SeptiFast assay yielded negative results. In two of these cases, the pathogens involved were not included in the SeptiFast detection list, in the third case SeptiFast assay failed to detect Candida glabrata. Thus we recommend the SeptiFast assay as a valuable tool for rapid diagnosis of bloodstream infections in addition to, but not as replacement for, the blood culture test.