Group B Streptococcus detection: comparison of PCR assay and culture as a screening method for pregnant women
Braz. j. infect. dis
;
15(4): 323-327, July-Aug. 2011. ilus, tab
Article
in English
| LILACS
| ID: lil-595672
ABSTRACT
Streptococcus agalactiae or group B Streptococcus (GBS) is one of the most important causal agents of serious neonatal infections. Numerous assays have been evaluated for GBS screening in order to validate a fast and efficient method. The aim of this study was to compare the culture technique (established as the gold standard) with the molecular method of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with specific primers (atr gene). Two hundred and sixty-three samples were analyzed. Vaginal samples were collected, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations, from women over 35 weeks of pregnancy at Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA). Two different extraction methods were tested in all samples collected. PCR technique yielded 71 (26.99 percent) positive results. Sensitivity and specificity for PCR were 100 percent and 86.88 percent, respectively. PCR demonstrated a shorter turnaround time than the culture. The molecular methodology proved to be a useful screening for GBS, allowing effective treatment to be initiated in shorter time to prevent newborn infection.
Full text:
Available
Index:
LILACS (Americas)
Main subject:
Pregnancy Complications, Infectious
/
Streptococcal Infections
/
Streptococcus agalactiae
/
Polymerase Chain Reaction
/
Culture Media
Type of study:
Diagnostic study
/
Practice guideline
/
Prognostic study
/
Screening study
Limits:
Female
/
Humans
/
Pregnancy
Language:
English
Journal:
Braz. j. infect. dis
Journal subject:
Communicable Diseases
Year:
2011
Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Brazil
Institution/Affiliation country:
Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre/BR
/
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul/BR
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