Diagnosis of Systemic Fungal Infection by Polymerase Chain Reaction Versus Conventional Blood Culture Method in Patients of Oncology Center Mansoura University

2012 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 69-78
Author(s):  
Ghada El-Saied Mashaly ◽  
Fikry El-sayed El Morsy ◽  
Samia Abd El-Aziz Hwas
2014 ◽  
Vol 104 (3) ◽  
pp. 233-237 ◽  
Author(s):  
María José Iglesias Sánchez ◽  
Ana María Pérez Pico ◽  
Félix Marcos Tejedor ◽  
María Jesús Iglesias Sánchez ◽  
Raquel Mayordomo Acevedo

Background Dermatomycoses are a group of pathologic abnormalities frequently seen in clinical practice, and their prevalence has increased in recent decades. Diagnostic confirmation of mycotic infection in nails is essential because there are several pathologic conditions with similar clinical manifestations. The classical method for confirming the presence of fungus in nail is microbiological culture and the identification of morphological structures by microscopy. Methods We devised a nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) that amplifies specific DNA sequences of dermatophyte fungus that is notably faster than the 3 to 4 weeks that the traditional procedure takes. We compared this new technique and the conventional plate culture method in 225 nail samples. The results were subjected to statistical analysis. Results We found concordance in 78.2% of the samples analyzed by the two methods and increased sensitivity when simultaneously using the two methods to analyze clinical samples. Now we can confirm the presence of dermatophyte fungus in most of the positive samples in just 24 hours, and we have to wait for the result of culture only in negative PCR cases. Conclusions Although this PCR cannot, at present, substitute for the traditional culture method in the detection of dermatophyte infection of the nails, it can be used as a complementary technique because its main advantage lies in the significant reduction of time used for diagnosis, in addition to higher sensitivity.


Critical Care ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 12 (Suppl 5) ◽  
pp. P47
Author(s):  
Marcello Ruiz-Silva ◽  
Derci Sa-Filho ◽  
Marcos Caseiro ◽  
Ivan Koh

2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcelo Marques da Silveira ◽  
Stéfhano Luis Cândido ◽  
Karin Rinaldi dos Santos ◽  
Maerle Oliveira Maia ◽  
Roberto Lopes de Souza ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT: Sepsis is characterized by the presence of organ dysfunction secondary to the dysregulated systemic inflammatory response associated with an infection, and has high mortality rates. Traditional diagnostic techniques based on non-microbiological isolation are time-consuming and may delay treatment. Thus, this study aimed to compare bacterial and fungal broad-range polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and blood culture for diagnosis of sepsis in dogs. Blood samples from 88 dogs with suspected sepsis were analyzed by blood culture, and PCR to detect bacterial and fungal DNA. On blood culture, 20 (22.7%) samples tested positive for bacterial isolates; however, none tested positive for fungi. Through PCR analysis, bacterial DNA was detected in 46 (52.3%) animals, whereas fungal DNA was present in one (1.1%) sample. Our results showed that PCR-based testing has important diagnostic value for canine blood infections because it has a shorter turnaround time and higher sensitivity than traditional blood culture.


1995 ◽  
Vol 31 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 409-416 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruce M. Roll ◽  
Roger S. Fujioka

Legionella bacteria are ubiquitous in environmental waters. Only a few species of Legionella , especially, L. pneumophila are pathogenic to humans and cause a sometimes fatal Legionnaires disease as well as a less fatal disease called Pontiac fever. The presence of Legionella in sewage and aerosolized sewage is the subject of this investigation because reuse of sewage may involve the exposure of people to aerosolization, the mode of transmission of Legionella bacteria. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of Legionella species and L. pneumophila in wastewater and their fate after various stages of treatment. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and standard culture method were utilized to detect Legionella species and L. pneumophila. PCR results indicated that Legionella species were present at levels > 103 cells / ml during all phases of sewage treatment including chlorinated effluents. Culture results indicated levels at least one log lower than seen with PCR. Legionella species were also recovered from air samples collected from secondary aeration basins at levels < 103 cells/ml. PCR was shown to be the most rapid and sensitive method for detecting Legionella in sewage.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document