Detection of fungal DNA in lysis-centrifugation blood culture for the diagnosis of invasive candidiasis in neonatal patients

Abstract

We report data concerning the detection of fungal DNA directly from lysis-centrifugation blood culture to assess its value in the detection of fungaemia in 86 of the 347 patients admitted to the neonatal intensive-care unit between January 2009 and December 2010. The sensitivity and specificity of the PCR were 87.5% and 98.5%, respectively, with a positive predictive value of 93.3% and a negative predictive value of 97.1%. Detection of fungal DNA directly from blood culture Isolator 1.5 microbial tubes, without prior cultivation, is a promising approach for the rapid detection of Candida spp. in neonates with suspected candidaemia. © 2011 The Authors. Clinical Microbiology and Infection © 2011 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.