Polymerase Chain Reaction vs. Blood Culture in Sepsis

Correlation with sepsis severity parameters was better for PCR than for blood culture; in patients with sepsis, concordance between the two methods was modest.

In patients with sepsis, rapid initiation of adequate antibiotic therapy is a key component of therapy. Empirical therapy with broad-spectrum antibiotics is used until the causative pathogen is identified. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based detection systems could markedly shorten the time to pathogen identification, thus hastening the start of targeted antibiotic therapy. But how well do such PCR-based systems perform?

To find out, researchers in Germany — sponsored by industry — compared results of a whole-blood bacterial and fungal DNA multiplex PCR system with conventional blood culture (BC) in 142 surgical patients with severe sepsis or septic shock and 63 surgical patients with no signs of infection (controls). Blood samples were ob…

Reviewing Author

Thomas Glück, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsConsilium Infectiorum by InfectoPharm, Infection

Thomas Glück, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsConsilium Infectiorum by InfectoPharm, Infection