The use of polymerase chain reaction in the diagnosis of invasive meningococcal disease

Abstract

Introduction, objectives and aims: Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) remains a serious public health problem. Although culture is the gold standard, previous antibiotic therapy reduces its sensibility. The aim of this study is the epidemiological analysis of IMD in our area, to assess the usefulness of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to increase its diagnostic accuracy, and to show the association of antibiotic administration with the negative result of the culture. Patients and methods: A retrospective study was conducted on all children younger than 16 years with microbiologically (positive culture and/or PCR) confirmed IMD, admitted to our hospital between 2004 and 2012. Results: Seventy-five patients were included, of whom 52% had sepsis, 30.7% meningitis, and 17.3% with both. PCR showed positive results in all samples, whereas a positive result was seen in 50.7% of the cultures. Previously administered antibiotic was documented in 40 patients (53.3%), and 40% of them were confirmed by PCR only. Conclusions: PCR was the only test providing evidence for IMD diagnosis and serogroup determination in almost 39% of cases. © 2013 Asociacion Espa˜