Evaluation of gene-technological and conventional methods in the identification of Streptococcus pneumoniae.

摘要: To find reliable methods able to identify the "difficult" Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates, an in-house polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for pneumolysin gene (Ply-PCR) and a commercial RNA hybridisation test (AccuProbe) were evaluated. Selected isolates of suspected pneumococci, sent confirmation identification serotyping, classified into four groups based on their optochin sensitivity capsule reaction. All in Group 1, which consisted 24 typical, optochin-sensitive, encapsulated pneumococcal strains, positive Ply-PCR AccuProbe tests. In 2, 25 but unencapsulated all test, 23 test. 3, 15 atypical, optochin-resistant 12 11 these strains both 4, 36 equivocal optochin-resistant, 8 As conclusion, tests identified similarly typical optochin-sensitive gave partly controversial results about atypical pneumococci. Thus, they did not reliably help lacking conventional characteristics pneumococcus.