Abstract

OMAR, S; MURPHY, S; GHEEVARGHESE, R  and  POPPLETON, N. A retrospective evaluation of a multiplex polymerase chain reaction test directly applied to blood for the management of sepsis in the critically ill. South. Afr. j. crit. care (Online) [online]. 2021, vol.37, n.3, pp.115-118. ISSN 2078-676X.  https://doi.org/10.7196/SAJCC.2021.v37i3.495.

BACKGROUND. Blood culture (BC) is the established gold standard for microbiological diagnosis of bloodstream infection (BSI); however, its sensitivity is poor. OBJECTIVES. The primary objective was to determine the sensitivity and specificity of the Magicplex Sepsis Real-time Test, a multiplex polymerase chain reaction test (mPCR), and BC to detect BSIs. Secondary outcomes included determining the prevalence of BSIs. METHODS. A retrospective review of a technical evaluation of the mPCR. Patients requiring BC had a blood sample collected for mPCR. RESULTS. The respective sensitivity and specificity of mPCR for the detection of BSI were 50% (n=7/14) and 58% (n=18/31), while the sensitivity and specificity using BC were 36% (n=5/14) and 68% (n=21/31), respectively. The addition of mPCR to BC increased BSI detection during sepsis from 36% to 64%. CONCLUSION. The use of mPCR directly applied to blood may increase the detection of micro-organisms associated with BSIs in critically ill patients requiring BC investigation.

Keywords : polymerase chain reaction; PCR; sepsis; bloodstream infections; bood culture; critically illness; ICU.

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