[Present state and disadvantage of rapid diagnosis method in clinical microbiology--analysis of questionnaire survey]

To investigate the present state and the disadvantages of rapid diagnosis methods in clinical microbiology in Japan, We have conducted a questionnaire survey of 360 medical facilities accredited by the Japanese Association for Rapid Method and Automation in Microbiology (JARMAM). Major rapid diagnosis methods being used in clinical microbiology are, in the order of its use rate, influenza virus, adenovirus, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Clostridium difficile toxin A, Rotavirus, hepatitis B virus, group A Streptococcus, RS virus, hepatitis C virus antibody. The fact found by this survey is that there is some gap between two groups, as one group views that the result of rapid diagnosis method can be considered as the final, another views that it is a supplementary diagnosis under conventional methods such as culturing. Some problems related to rapid diagnosis methods are also pointed out; how to interpret and report a test result obtained by the rapid diagnosis method when it is different from that of culture method, it can not perform antibiotic sensitivity tests, a problem of non-specific reaction, comparatively higher cost of rapid diagnosis kits. This survey finds that rapid diagnosis methods have greatly contributed to early medical treatment and appropriate therapy with its quickness, such as the use of rapid diagnosis kits for bacterial meningitis or viral infectious diseases requiring clinical urgency is highly necessitated even though some problems mentioned above exist.