Molecular detection of Coxiella burnetii in heart valve tissue from patients with culture-negative infective endocarditis.

ABSTRACT: Coxiella burnetii is a common cause of blood culture-negative infective endocarditis (IE). Molecular detection of C burnetii DNA in clinical specimens is a promising method of diagnosing Q fever endocarditis. Here, we examined the diagnostic utility of Q fever polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of formalin-fixed heart valve tissue from patients with blood culture-negative IE who underwent heart valve surgery. Clinical and laboratory data of patients with blood culture-negative IE who underwent heart valve surgery during a 6-year period and for whom biopsy tissues were available were reviewed retrospectively. Blood culture-positive IE patients who underwent heart valve surgery within the last 3 years were used as controls. Heart valve samples were cultured and also subjected to histological ex

SUBMITTER: Jang YR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6112960 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature