Observational studyBMC infectious diseases2020
Multiplex bacterial polymerase chain reaction in a cohort of patients with pleural effusion.
Observational study in BMC infectious diseases, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers.
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Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed, 20 citations in OpenAlex.
- The role of molecular diagnostics in pleural empyema: insights from a 4-year analysis of microbial trends and antimicrobial use.Journal of medical microbiology · 2025Article
- Development of a Rapid, Culture-Free, Universal Microbial Identification System Using Internal Transcribed Spacer Targeting Primers.The Journal of infectious diseases · 2025Article
- GenomicGapID: leveraging spatial distribution of conserved genomic sites for broad-spectrum microbial identification.Microbiology spectrum · 2025Article
- Evaluation of cytomorphological examination in the diagnosis of pleural effusion.Clinical and experimental medicine · 2025Article
- Microbiological diagnosis of pleural infections: a comparative evaluation of a novel syndromic real-time PCR panel.Microbiology spectrum · 2024Article
- Use of multiplex PCR in pleural effusion: is it necessary to change the paradigm of culture-based methods?Access microbiology · 2023Article
- Assessment of Intraoperative Microbiological Culture in Patients with Empyema: Comparison with Preoperative Microbiological Culture.Annals of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery : official journal of the Association of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons of Asia · 2021Article
- An evaluation of the Unyvero pneumonia system for rapid detection of microorganisms and resistance markers of lower respiratory infections-a multicenter prospective study on ICU patients.European journal of clinical microbiology & infectious diseases : official publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology · 2021Article
- Management of complex pleural disease in the critically ill patient.Journal of thoracic disease · 2021Review
- Identification of Microbiome Etiology Associated With Drug Resistance in Pleural Empyema.Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2021Article
- Recent Insights into the Management of Pleural Infection.International journal of general medicine · 2021Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundThe identification of the pathogens in pleural effusion has mainly relied on conventional bacterial culture or single species polymerase chain reaction (PCR), both with relatively low sensitivity. We investigated the efficacy of a commercially available multiplex bacterial PCR assay developed for pneumonia to identify the pathogens involved in pleural infection, particularly empyema.
methodsA prospective, monocentric, observational study including 194 patients with pleural effusion. Patients were evaluated based on imaging, laboratory values, pleura ultrasound and results of thoracentesis including conventional microbiology studies during hospitalisation. Multiplex bacterial PCR (Curetis Unyvero p55) was performed in batch and had no influence on therapeutic decisions.
resultsOverall, there were 51/197 cases with transudate and 146/197 with exudate. In 42% (n = 90/214) there was a clinical suspicion of parapneumonic effusion and the final clinical diagnosis of empyema was made in 29% (n = 61/214) of all cases. The most common microorganisms identified in the cases diagnosed with empyema were anaerobes [31] followed by gram-positive cocci [10] and gram-negative rods [4]. The multiplex PCR assay identified more of the pathogens on the panel than the conventional methods (23.3% (7/30) vs. 6.7% (2/30), p = 0.008).
conclusionThe multiplex PCR-based assay had a higher sensitivity and specificity than conventional microbiology when only the pathogens on the pneumonia panel were taken into account. A dedicated pleural empyema multiplex PCR panel including anaerobes would be needed to cover most common pathogens involved in pleural infection.
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