Value of PCR in surgically treated patients with staphylococcal infective endocarditis: a 4-year retrospective study.

The aim of the study was to establish a diagnostic value for broad-range polymerase chain reaction (br-PCR) and staphylococci-specific multiplex PCR (ssm-PCR) performed on surgical material from patients with staphylococcal infective endocarditis (IE). Data were analysed retrospectively from 60 patients with suspected staphylococcal IE and 59 controls who were surgically treated at three cardiosurgery centres over 4 years. Both PCR tests showed high agreement and could be aggregated.

Differentiation of Staphylococcus spp. by high-resolution melting analysis.

High-resolution melting analysis (HRMA) is a fast (post-PCR) high-throughput method to scan for sequence variations in a target gene. The aim of this study was to test the potential of HRMA to distinguish particular bacterial species of the Staphylococcus genus even when using a broad-range PCR within the 16S rRNA gene where sequence differences are minimal. Genomic DNA samples isolated from 12 reference staphylococcal strains (Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus capitis, Staphylococcus caprae, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus haemolyticus, Staphylococcus hominis, Staphylococcus intermedius, Staphylococcus saprophyticus, Staphylococcus sciuri, Staphylococcus simulans, Staphylococcus warneri, and Staphylococcus xylosus) were subjected to a real-time PCR amplification of the 16S rRNA gene in the presence of fluorescent dye EvaGreen™, followed by HRMA.

Detection of Cardiobacterium valvarum in a patient with aortic valve infective endocarditis by broad-range PCR.

Cardiobacterium valvarum, a fastidious Gram-negative bacterium, was detected in the aortic valve of a previously healthy 63-year-old man by broad-range PCR and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. In contrast to the patients in five previously published cases, our patient had neither a congenital bicuspid nor a prosthetic aortic valve. Here, we present a case of C.

Genotypic versus phenotypic methods in the detection of Listeria monocytogenes prosthetic joint infection.

A rare case of a severe prosthetic joint infection in a 71-year-old immunocompetent woman is presented. Listeria monocytogenes was identified in two consecutive samples using broad-range PCR and sequencing, whereas cultivation remained negative for the first sample and streptococci of a non-group A streptococci, non-group B streptococci type were detected for the second one. This report demonstrates that the phenotypic approach may lead to misidentification of L.

[Aortic and mitral valve infective endocarditis caused by Tropheryma whipplei and with no gastrointestinal manifestations of Whipple's disease].

A case of blood culture-negative aortic and mitral valve infective endocarditis caused by the bacterium Tropheryma whipplei is reported. A 33-year-old man showed no clinical manifestations of Whipple's disease, with the exception of arthralgia as given in his history. The disease was complicated by recurrent cerebral and left upper limb embolization of vegetations.

[A sepsis caused by Capnocytophaga canimorsus: diagnostic and therapeutic options].

The authors present a case report of a patient with sepsis caused by Gram negative rod Capnocytophaga canimorsus resulting from a dog bite. The infection had a course of septic shock progressing into multiorgan failure and serious ischemic damage to the extremities. The etiologic agent was identified utilizing molecular genetic methods and its detailed microbiologic characteristics are provided below.