How to Interpret a Positive Campylobacter PCR Result Using the BD MAX^TM System in the Absence of Positive Culture?

The aim of this study was to evaluate, using two independent polymerase chain reaction (PCR) formats, the results of Campylobacter detection by the BD MAX^TM Enteric Bacterial Panel PCR (Becton Dickinson, Le Pont de Claix, France) in the absence of positive culture. A total of 77 samples found positive for Campylobacter on BD MAX^TM but negative by culture were studied. Upon reception, one in-house real-time-PCR for Campylobacter sp. and a PCR with the RIDAGENE Bacterial Stool Panel (r-biopharm, Darmstadt, Germany) were performed. The data obtained using these two PCR formats were evaluated with respect to the cycle threshold (Ct) and fluorescence intensity values (FI) obtained on BD MAX^TM. Ct and FI values were also obtained for 80 positive Campylobacter cases by culture. Among the 77 samples, 33 were positive with the two PCRs, and 37 remained negative. For the 33 double-positive PCRs samples, the Ct values obtained on BD MAX^TM were lower than 30 in 93.9%, and FI > 2000 for 97% of cases. For the 37 double-negative PCRs samples, the Ct values obtained on BD MAX^TM were <30 in only 18.9%, however FI were >2000 for 40.5% of cases. Positive culture cases had Ct values < 30 in 96.2% and FI > 2000 in 98.8%. We showed that the Ct values obtained on BD MAX^TM can help to interpret the results. Almost 96% of the Campylobacter sp. cases detected by culture or with the two reference PCRs positive showed a Ct value on BD MAX^TM, meaning that stools detected as positive with BD MAX^TM and having a Ct > 30 may be false positives.