Tehran University Medical Journal

Background: Early diagnosis of bacteremia and its complications is the most important part of care and management of the patients. The utility of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques have been shown to identify pathogens in less and more optimal time. The aim of our study was to evaluate prevalence of bacteremia using universal PCR in febrile patients admitted in Pediatric Medical Center comparing other routine methods like blood culture.
Methods: One hundred febrile children suspected to septicemia who were admitted in Pediatric Medical Center, were included. From all patients whole blood samples were obtained for blood culture and PCR.
Results: Of all patients, 65% were 3 to 36 months old. The frequency of male and female patients was 45 and 55, respectively. The prior oral and parental antibiotic therapy had been taken for 45 and 12 patients. The mean temperature of body was 38.98±0.57 at presenting time. Twelve patients were positive blood culture. Nineteen patients had positive PCR test which consisted of 11 patients with positive blood culture. The severity of fever and laboratory findings such as WBC, ESR, and CRP had no significant difference between patients with positive and negative blood culture and PCR.
Conclusion: universal PCR technique is more sensitive and specific than conventional blood culture and other methods to diagnose bacterial infection.