Development and performance of a multiplex PCR assay for the detection of bacteria in sterile body fluids.

To assess the performance characteristics of a lab-developed multiplex PCR assay for the detection of common bacterial pathogens associated with infections in pediatric patients from normally sterile sites, such as cerebrospinal fluid, synovial and pleural fluids. A total of 272 specimens were tested by PCR and traditional culture methods to assess the presence of , , , methicillin-sensitive and methicillin-resistant and . Compared with culture, the overall positive and negative percentage agreement of the PCR were 95.