Rosemary C She1, Jeffrey M Bender2. 1. Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA; rosemary.she@med.usc.edu. 2. Division of Infectious Diseases of the Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: For far too long, the diagnosis of bloodstream infections has relied on time-consuming blood cultures coupled with traditional organism identification and susceptibility testing. Technologies to define the culprit in bloodstream infections have gained sophistication in recent years, notably by application of molecular methods. CONTENT: In this review, we summarize the tests available to clinical laboratories for molecular rapid identification and resistance marker detection in blood culture bottles that have flagged positive. We explore the cost-benefit ratio of such assays, covering aspects that include performance characteristics, effect on patient care, and relevance to antibiotic stewardship initiatives. SUMMARY: Rapid blood culture diagnostics represent an advance in the care of patients with bloodstream infections, particularly those infected with resistant organisms. These diagnostics are relatively easy to implement and appear to have a positive cost-benefit balance, particularly when fully incorporated into a hospital's antimicrobial stewardship program.
BACKGROUND: For far too long, the diagnosis of bloodstream infections has relied on time-consuming blood cultures coupled with traditional organism identification and susceptibility testing. Technologies to define the culprit in bloodstream infections have gained sophistication in recent years, notably by application of molecular methods. CONTENT: In this review, we summarize the tests available to clinical laboratories for molecular rapid identification and resistance marker detection in blood culture bottles that have flagged positive. We explore the cost-benefit ratio of such assays, covering aspects that include performance characteristics, effect on patient care, and relevance to antibiotic stewardship initiatives. SUMMARY: Rapid blood culture diagnostics represent an advance in the care of patients with bloodstream infections, particularly those infected with resistant organisms. These diagnostics are relatively easy to implement and appear to have a positive cost-benefit balance, particularly when fully incorporated into a hospital's antimicrobial stewardship program.
Authors: Karen C Carroll; Jennifer L Reid; Adam Thornberg; Natalie N Whitfield; Deirdre Trainor; Shawna Lewis; Teresa Wakefield; Thomas E Davis; Keisha G Church; Linoj Samuel; Ray Mills; Patricia Jim; Stephen Young; Frederick S Nolte Journal: J Clin Microbiol Date: 2020-03-25 Impact factor: 5.948