Journal club

Detection of bacterial pathogens in patients with COVID-19: role for rapid multiplex PCR Patients admitted to intensive care with COVID-19 have high rates of secondary bacterial infection, but few data exist on the usefulness of multiplex PCR in this population. Karolyi et al (Central Eur J Med 2021:doi.org/10.1007/s00508-021-01990-0) conducted a single-centre retrospective observational study in Austria to analyse which pathogens were detected by a commercial PCR system (Pneumonia Panel (PP)), from tracheal aspirates and bronchoalveolar lavages of patients admitted to critical care with COVID-19 with suspected hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) or ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). The PP can detect a range of common bacterial and viral pathogens within 2 hours and can detect some antibiotic resistance genes. The study recruited 60 patients, of whom 12 (20%) had suspected HAP and 48 (80%) VAP. In total, 75% of patients had either a positive PP and/or culture result, with PP positive in 63.3%...
Source: Thorax - Category: Respiratory Medicine Authors: Tags: Thorax Journal club Source Type: research