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Point-of-care multiplex-PCR enables germ identification in haemolytic uremic syndrome 94 h earlier than stool culture

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Abstract

Haemolytic uremic syndrome often affects children causing a relevant morbidity and mortality. We compared the time to diagnosis by multiplex-PCR and stool culture in 15 children from two centres. Multiplex-PCR accelerated the time to diagnosis by 94 (95% confidence interval, 80–119; P = 0.0007) hours. Multiplex-PCR offers a time advantage of stool culture that may aid in earlier identification of outbreak clusters.

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Data availability

Raw data are available from the corresponding author.

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Funding

The multiplex-PCR apparatus in the Hospital Pediátrico Dr. Humberto Notti was provided by the manufacturer BioFire Diagnostics, LLC. The funder played no role in the study or in the decision to submit the report for publication.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Servicio de Terapia Intensiva Infantil, Hospital Pediátrico Dr. Humberto Notti, Mendoza, Argentina

    Luis Hernán Llano López & Laura Piovano

  2. Servicio de Infectología, Hospital Pediátrico Dr. Humberto Notti, Mendoza, Argentina

    Pablo Melonari & Lorena Di Pauli

  3. Zentrum für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Universitätsmedizin der Johannes-Gutenberg-Universität, Mainz, Germany

    Stephan Gehring & Daniel Schreiner

  4. Servicio de Inmunoserología, Departamento de Bioquímica, Hospital Pediátrico Dr. Humberto Notti, Mendoza, Argentina

    Sandra Grucci

  5. Servicio de Microbiología, Departamento de Bioquímica, Hospital Pediátrico Dr. Humberto Notti, Mendoza, Argentina

    Sofía Pérez Araujo

  6. Klinik und Poliklinik für Kinderchirurgie, Universitätsmedizin der Johannes-Gutenberg-Universität, Mainz, Germany

    Christina Oetzmann von Sochaczewski

  7. Klinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Elisabeth-Krankenhaus, Essen, Germany

    Arne Schröder

Authors
  1. Luis Hernán Llano López
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  2. Pablo Melonari
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  3. Stephan Gehring
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  4. Daniel Schreiner
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  5. Sandra Grucci
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  6. Sofía Pérez Araujo
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  7. Lorena Di Pauli
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  8. Christina Oetzmann von Sochaczewski
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  9. Arne Schröder
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  10. Laura Piovano
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design, data collection and analysis as well as writing, and approved the submission.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Luis Hernán Llano López.

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Conflict of interest

Luis Hernán Llano López and Pablo Melonari were invited speakers on webinars and meetings organised by BioFire Diagnostics LLC and Biomérieux Argentina. None of the authors received fees or any other recompensations for their research.

Ethical approval

Retrospective analyses are exempt from ethical approval by law per article 36 paragraph 2 Landeskrankenhausgesetz Rheinland-Pfalz.

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Llano López, L.H., Melonari, P., Gehring, S. et al. Point-of-care multiplex-PCR enables germ identification in haemolytic uremic syndrome 94 h earlier than stool culture. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 40, 643–645 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-020-04060-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-020-04060-x

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