PCR-Based Detection of a Cystic Fibrosis Epidemic Strain of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa.
Panagea, Stavroula 1; Winstanley, Craig 1; Parsons, Yasmin N 1; Walshaw, Martin J 2; Ledson, Martin J 2; Hart, C Anthony 1
[Article] Molecular Diagnosis. 7(3):195-200, 2003.

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Background: The Liverpool epidemic strain (LES) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa is widespread among patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) in specialist centers around Liverpool and elsewhere in the UK. This study evaluates a new diagnostic PCR assay based on a unique DNA sequence (PS21) of LES, for its identification of colonies directly from sputum.

Methods: One hundred and fifty-eight sputum samples from 92 patients were cultured and P. aeruginosa isolates were typed by PS21 PCR and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Subsequently, PS21 PCR was performed directly on sputum and the results were compared with culture, PFGE, and PS21 PCR typing.

Results: Eighty patients were colonized with P. aeruginosa, 63 by LES (79%). There was 100% concordance between PS21 PCR on colonies and PFGE typing. The sensitivity and specificity of PS21 PCR directly on sputum was 98.2% and 93.6%, respectively.

Conclusions: This study shows that PS21 PCR can be used for simple and rapid screening of LES colonization in CF patients.

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