TY - JOUR
T1 - Detection of respiratory viruses and Legionella spp. by real-time polymerase chain reaction in patients with community acquired pneumonia
AU - Diederen, Bram M.W.
AU - Van Der Eerden, Menno M.
AU - Vlaspolder, Fer
AU - Boersma, Wim G.
AU - Kluytmans, Jan A.J.W.
AU - Peeters, Marcel F.
PY - 2009
Y1 - 2009
N2 - We conducted a study on throat swabs obtained from a group of hospitalized patients with community acquired pneumonia (CAP). Throat swab specimens from 242 adults admitted to hospital with CAP were tested. In total, 1 or more aetiological agents were identified by real-time PCR in 55 (23%) patients. The most frequently detected pathogens were coronavirus (17%), parainfluenza virus (6%) and influenza virus (4%). Overall, viral pathogens were identified by conventional techniques in 7 (2%) patients, and real-time PCR in 50 (21%) patients (p<0.0001). The diagnostic yield increased from 137 cases (57% of patients using conventional microbiological assays) to 158 cases (65% of patients using real-time PCR assays and conventional microbiological assays; p = 0.06). A significantly higher percentage of mortality was present in patients with a mixed bacterial and viral infection. L. pneumophila PCR was positive in only 3 out of 11 cases (27%) of Legionnaires' disease (LD). This study demonstrates that real-time PCR can increase the number of microbiological detections of respiratory pathogens, mainly as a result of detection of respiratory viruses.
AB - We conducted a study on throat swabs obtained from a group of hospitalized patients with community acquired pneumonia (CAP). Throat swab specimens from 242 adults admitted to hospital with CAP were tested. In total, 1 or more aetiological agents were identified by real-time PCR in 55 (23%) patients. The most frequently detected pathogens were coronavirus (17%), parainfluenza virus (6%) and influenza virus (4%). Overall, viral pathogens were identified by conventional techniques in 7 (2%) patients, and real-time PCR in 50 (21%) patients (p<0.0001). The diagnostic yield increased from 137 cases (57% of patients using conventional microbiological assays) to 158 cases (65% of patients using real-time PCR assays and conventional microbiological assays; p = 0.06). A significantly higher percentage of mortality was present in patients with a mixed bacterial and viral infection. L. pneumophila PCR was positive in only 3 out of 11 cases (27%) of Legionnaires' disease (LD). This study demonstrates that real-time PCR can increase the number of microbiological detections of respiratory pathogens, mainly as a result of detection of respiratory viruses.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=58049206788&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/00365540802448799
DO - 10.1080/00365540802448799
M3 - Article
C2 - 18821175
AN - SCOPUS:58049206788
SN - 0036-5548
VL - 41
SP - 45
EP - 50
JO - Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases
JF - Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases
IS - 1
ER -