The impact of meningococcal polymerase chain reaction testing on laboratory confirmation of invasive meningococcal disease

Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2012 Mar;31(3):316-8. doi: 10.1097/INF.0b013e318241f824.

Abstract

Laboratory methods of diagnosis were examined for 266 children with invasive meningococcal disease. Seventy-five (36%) of 207 cases with bloodstream infection had both positive blood culture and blood meningococcal polymerase chain reaction (PCR), 130 (63%) negative blood culture and positive blood PCR, and 2 (1%) had positive blood culture and negative blood PCR. Sixty-three percent of cases were diagnosed by PCR alone.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

  • Bacteremia / microbiology*
  • Bacteriological Techniques / methods*
  • Blood / microbiology
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Male
  • Meningitis, Meningococcal / diagnosis
  • Meningitis, Meningococcal / microbiology
  • Meningococcal Infections / diagnosis*
  • Meningococcal Infections / microbiology
  • Molecular Diagnostic Techniques / methods*
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods*
  • Sensitivity and Specificity