<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p> Meningococcal infection requires a fast and accurate diagnostic method in order to correctly initiate the antibiotic therapy. The aim of our study was to assess the efficiency of Real Time PCR -Taq Man using sod C gene / N. meningitidis in comparison with the classical methods for the diagnosis of meningococcal infection - direct microscopy, cultivation, latex agglutination and blood culture. We have detected 24/44 (54.54%) patients with meningococcal infection. In both cases of patients with / without previous antibiotic therapy before admission, the AUC (area under curve) had the highest values for RT PCR in CSF and blood analysis. This sod C RT-PCR assay is a highly sensitive and specific method for detection of Neisseria meningitis and it would be useful to include this method like a multiplex in routine testing of patients with clinical meningococcal infection for other etiological agents also.</p></abstract>

Meningococcal infection requires a fast and accurate diagnostic method in order to correctly initiate the antibiotic therapy. The aim of our study was to assess the efficiency of Real Time PCR -Taq Man using sod C gene / N. meningitidis in comparison with the classical methods for the diagnosis of meningococcal infection - direct microscopy, cultivation, latex agglutination and blood culture. We have detected 24/44 (54.54%) patients with meningococcal infection. In both cases of patients with / without previous antibiotic therapy before admission, the AUC (area under curve) had the highest values for RT PCR in CSF and blood analysis. This sod C RT-PCR assay is a highly sensitive and specific method for detection of Neisseria meningitis and it would be useful to include this method like a multiplex in routine testing of patients with clinical meningococcal infection for other etiological agents also.

The efficiency of sodC gene / N. meningitidis detection in comparison with the classical methods for the diagnosis of meningococcal infection / Evaluarea eficienţei Real Time PCR TaqMan utilizând gena sodC / N. meningitidis în comparaţie cu metodele clasice utilizate în diagnosticul infecţiei meningococice

2nd Internal Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, “Gr. T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Iaşi, Romania, Discipline of Infectious Diseases

2nd Internal Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, “Gr. T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Iaşi, Romania, Microbiology Discipline

Professor, MD, PhD, 2nd Internal Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, “Gr. T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Iaşi, Romania, Microbiology Discipline

Regional Center of Public Health, Iaşi, Romania

Revista Romana de Medicina de Laborator

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Meningococcal infection requires a fast and accurate diagnostic method in order to correctly initiate the antibiotic therapy. The aim of our study was to...

Published Online: Mar 25, 2015

Page range: 21 - 30

Received: May 30, 2014

Accepted: Feb 26, 2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/rrlm-2015-0008

Keywords
Neisseria meningitidis, meningococcal infection, Real-Time PCR, performance criteria

© by Ramona Gabriela Ursu

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Published Online: Mar 25, 2015

Page range: 21 - 30

Received: May 30, 2014

Accepted: Feb 26, 2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/rrlm-2015-0008

KeywordsNeisseria meningitidis, meningococcal infection, Real-Time PCR, performance criteria

© by Ramona Gabriela Ursu

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
Neisseria meningitidis, meningococcal infection, Real-Time PCR, performance criteria