Open AccessDetection of bacterial DNA in blood samples from febrile patients: underestimated infection or emerging contamination?
Author(s) -
Peters Remco P.H.,
Mohammadi Tamimount,
VandenbrouckeGrauls Christina M.J.E.,
Danner Sven A.,
Agtmael Michiel A.,
Savelkoul Paul H.M.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
fems immunology & medical microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1574-695X
pISSN - 0928-8244
DOI - 10.1016/j.femsim.2004.05.009
Subject(s) - biology , polymerase chain reaction , contamination , isolation (microbiology) , microbiology and biotechnology , burkholderia , blood culture , burkholderia cepacia complex , dna extraction , bacteria , real time polymerase chain reaction , virology , antibiotics , genetics , gene , ecology
We applied real‐time broad‐range polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect bacteraemia in blood from febrile patients. Interpretation of amplification results in relation to clinical data and blood culture outcome was complex, although the reproducibility of the PCR results was good. Sequencing analysis of the PCR products revealed the presence of Burkholderia species DNA while no Burkholderia species grew in culture. The source of this contamination was shown to be the commercial DNA isolation kit used in the automated MagNA Pure Isolation Robot. A high degree of suspicion is required when uncommon or unexpected pathogens are diagnosed by molecular methods as clinical consequences can be serious.