Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction Versus Standard Bacterial Culture in Critically Ill Children With Suspected Pneumonia.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Bacterial lower respiratory tract infection, particularly ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in children who require mechanical ventilation (MV). Microbiologic diagnosis has relied on bacterial culture, but reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with bacterial targets is now available for clinical use. We compared the diagnostic performance of tracheal aspirate (TA) multiplex RT-PCR to culture in children requiring MV with suspected lower respiratory tract infection.

Methods

This is a secondary analysis of a prospective cohort of children (30 days to 18 years) at a single center requiring MV via an endotracheal tube for >72 hours in whom daily research TAs were collected. TAs were collected wi

SUBMITTER: Osborne CM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11828676 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature