Key result
Broad-range PCR detects bacterial DNA in ~38% of resected valves months after infective endocarditis treatment.
Why the study?
Does PCR detect bacterial DNA in cardiac vegetations of patients undergoing valve replacement after completed antimicrobial treatment for infective endocarditis?
Observational (n=8)
Does PCR detect bacterial DNA in cardiac vegetations of patients undergoing valve replacement after completed antimicrobial treatment for infective endocarditis?
Bacterial DNA can persist in cardiac vegetations months after completion of antimicrobial treatment for endocarditis, which may complicate the use of PCR for diagnosing active infection.
PCR with broad-range primers for prokaryotic 16S rRNA genes was used to identify bacterial DNA in tissue from patients undergoing valve replacements following a previous episode of infective endocarditis (IE). Of eight valves investigated, bacterial DNA was detected in three from patients for whom IE had been treated by antibiotic therapy 5, 12 and 18 months previously. The demonstration of bacterial DNA within resected heart valves suggests either recurrence of infection, treatment failure or the persistence of bacterial debris within the cardiac vegetation. There may also be implications for routine use of PCR in the diagnosis of infection.
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Lang et al. (2004) conducted an observational in Infective endocarditis (n=8). PCR with broad-range primers for prokaryotic 16S rRNA genes was evaluated on Detection of bacterial DNA in resected heart valves. PCR with broad-range primers detected bacterial DNA in 3 of 8 (37.5%) resected heart valves from patients who had completed antibiotic therapy for infective endocarditis 5 to 18 months previously.
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