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Published on: November 8, 2016
Evaluation of PCR-based screening for vancomycin-resistant enterococci compared with a chromogenic agar-based culture
Ja Young Seo1, Pyung-Whan Kim1, Jang-Ho Lee1
1Department of Laboratory Medicine and Genetics, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Journal of Medical Microbiology
|April 5, 2011
Summary
Rapid multiplex PCR screening for vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) infection is effective. This PCR method shows comparable performance to traditional culture methods for VRE detection, aiding in infection control.
Area of Science:
- Clinical Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Molecular Diagnostics
Background:
- Nosocomial spread of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) poses a significant threat to patient safety.
- Rapid and accurate detection of VRE is crucial for implementing timely infection control measures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To prospectively compare the performance of a multiplex PCR method against a chromogenic agar-based culture method for VRE screening.
- To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of PCR in detecting VRE in clinical specimens.
Main Methods:
- A prospective study involving 8815 rectal swab specimens tested simultaneously by VRE selective culture and multiplex PCR.
- VRE selective culture utilized ChromID VRE agar, with identification and susceptibility testing via VITEK-2, E-test, and disk diffusion.
- Multiplex PCR targeted vanA and vanB genes, with broth enrichment prior to PCR analysis.
Main Results:
- VRE was isolated from 8.4% of specimens by culture.
- Multiplex PCR detected vanA and vanB genotypes in 8.6% and 0.03% of specimens, respectively.
- PCR demonstrated high sensitivity (98.2%), specificity (99.6%), positive predictive value (95.7%), and negative predictive value (99.8%).
Conclusions:
- Multiplex PCR is a highly sensitive and specific method for VRE screening.
- The performance of PCR is comparable to chromogenic agar-based culture methods.
- PCR offers a valuable alternative or supportive tool for effective control of nosocomial VRE infections.
