Comparison of one-tube multiplex PCR, automated ribotyping and intergenic spacer (ITS) sequencing for rapid identification of Acinetobacter baumannii.
Chen, T.-L. 1,2,3; Siu, L.-K. 4; Wu, R. C.-C. 3; Shaio, M.-F. 5; Huang, L.-Y. 4; Fung, C.-P. 3,4; Lee, C.-M. 6,7; Cho, W.-L. 3
[Article] Clinical Microbiology & Infection. 13(8):801-806, August 2007.

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Acinetobacter baumannii has emerged as a serious cause of nosocomial infections. Rapid identification of this pathogen is required so that appropriate therapy can be given and outbreaks controlled. This study evaluated a multiplex PCR and an automated ribotyping system for the rapid identification of Acinetobacter baumannii. In total, 22 different reference strains and 138 clinical isolates of Acinetobacter spp., identified by 16S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer (ITS) sequence analysis, were evaluated. All A. baumannii isolates (82 clinical isolates and one reference strain) were identified by the multiplex PCR method (specificity 100%). The sensitivity and specificity of the ribotyping system for identification of A. baumannii were 85.5% (71/83) and 93.5% (72/77), respectively. An additional 100 clinical isolates belonging to the Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-A. baumannii complex were used to compare these two methods for identification of A. baumannii, and this comparison revealed a level of disagreement of 14% (14 isolates). The accuracy of the multiplex PCR was 100%, which was confirmed by sequence analysis of the ITS and recA gene of these isolates. Thus, the multiplex PCR method dramatically increased the efficiency and speed of A. baumannii identification.

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