Rapid qPCR Identification of Enteric Bacteria For Clinical Diagnostics

Microbial sepsis is a major source of mortality in medical care settings, affecting those with a compromised immune system. This condition is exacerbated in socio‐economically deprived communities. Hospitals currently employ the culture method to identify the bacteria responsible for sepsis. Due to the time period required for the culture method, it was hypothesized that a rapid molecular diagnostic could be developed using a comparative genomic approach specific to genus, species or subspecies of bacteria. Primers for quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) were designed from a comparative genomics approach and were specific to genus, species or subspecies of the target of bacteria. The primers were tested against a collection of clinical isolates to examine their cross reactivity with non‐target species and sensitivity in a human DNA background. The pattern of positive and negative reactions across the collection of primers can be used for in identification of the bacterial species/subspecies. Thus, a rapid molecular diagnostic for the identification of a subset of common enteric bacteria using qPCR was developed. This method will decrease the time needed for clinical diagnostic testing and identification of the causative agent of sepsis