Direct detection of Streptococcus pneumoniae in positive blood cultures by real-time polymerase chain reaction

Received 19 December 2008; accepted 11 May 2009.

Abstract

We developed a real-time polymerase chain reaction specific for Streptococcus pneumoniae to be applied directly from blood culture bottles without previous DNA extraction step. For the 128 blood culture bottles tested, the assay had 94% and 98.4% sensitivity and specificity, respectively. This assay provides rapid and accurate identification of this pathogen.

Keywords: Real-time PCR, Blood culture bottles, Streptococcus pneumoniae

a Molecular Microbiology Department, University Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, 08950 Esplugues-Barcelona, Spain

b Paediatrics Department, University Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues-Barcelona, Spain

Corresponding author. Tel.: +34-93-280-5569; fax: +34-93-280-3626.

PII: S0732-8893(09)00235-1

doi:10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2009.05.023

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