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Urine Nested Polymerase Chain Reaction in Neonatal Septicemia
B K Das1, Shipra Suri1, Gopal Nath2
1Department of Paediatrics, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India.
Journal of Tropical Pediatrics
|July 2, 2015
Summary
Nested urine polymerase chain reaction (PCR) shows high diagnostic efficacy for neonatal septicemia, detecting bacterial DNA in 76% of cases. This method offers superior sensitivity and negative predictive value compared to traditional blood cultures.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal infectious diseases
- Molecular diagnostics
- Microbiology
Background:
- Neonatal septicemia poses a significant threat to infant health.
- Accurate and rapid diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment.
- Current diagnostic methods like blood culture have limitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the diagnostic performance of urine nested PCR for neonatal septicemia.
- To compare the efficacy of urine nested PCR against blood culture.
- To assess the utility of broad-range 16SrDNA PCR in identifying neonatal pathogens.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 50 neonates with suspected septicemia.
- Urine samples analyzed using broad-range 16SrDNA PCR, followed by restriction analysis and sequencing.
- Comparison of nested PCR results with blood culture findings.
Main Results:
- Nested urine PCR demonstrated 76% positivity.
- It detected bacterial DNA in 8 neonates with negative blood cultures.
- Compared to blood culture, nested PCR showed 100% sensitivity, 60% specificity, and 84% accuracy.
Conclusions:
- Nested urine PCR is a highly sensitive and accurate diagnostic tool for neonatal septicemia.
- It can identify a broad range of bacteria, including unexpected pathogens.
- This molecular method offers advantages over conventional blood cultures in diagnosing neonatal infections.
