[Amplification reaction to bacterial DNA for diagnosing infective endocarditis]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of broad-range bacterial PCR in infective endocarditis of bacterial etiology, and to determine its specificity and sensitivity. Twenty five blood samples were taken for analysis from patients with infective endocarditis and acquired valvular heart disease. Infective endocarditis was diagnosed according to Duke criteria. There were two control groups consisting of patients with acquired valvular heart disease: 10 patients with urinary tract infection and 15 patients without. Three different primer pairs for the region of the gene coding for 16S rRNA were tested, to find the most specific one. The highest specificity was found for F/R primers, as the relevant amplified PCR product was present in every blood sample with infective endocarditis, and also in 4 out of 10 patients with urinary tract infection. Broad-range PCR in bacterial endocarditis is a fast, sensitive and inexpensive tool for the detection of bacteria, but it is far more prone to contamination than species specific-PCR. However, in controlled conditions it may be valuable in the identification of non-specific infection allowing for a more rapid clinical diagnosis of endocarditis.