Streptococcus pneumoniae

Test code: B0001 - Qualitative detection of Streptococcus pneumoniae by polymerase chain reaction.

Streptococcus pneumoniae is gram-positive, alpha-hemolytic, bile-soluble aerotolerant anaerobe. Besides pneumonia, this organism causes many other types of infection, such as acute sinusitis, otitis media, meningitis, bacteremia, sepsis, osteomyelitis, septic arthritis, endocarditis, peritonitis, pericarditis, cellulitis, and brain abscess.

S. pneumoniae is the most common cause of bacterial meningitis in humans, and is one of the two most prevalent isolates found in ear infection, otitis media. Several animal species, including rodents, dogs and monkeys, can also be infected with these bacteria.

Culture detection of S. pneumoniae is not very sensitive compared to molecular detection by PCR. In addition, PCR is much more specific and rapid than culture (Virolainen et al., 1994).

Utilities:

• Help confirm the disease causing agent
• Shorten the time required to confirm a clinical diagnosis of S. pneumoniae infection.
• Help ensure that animal populations are free of S. pneumoniae
• Early prevention of spread of this bacterium
• Minimize personnel exposure to this bacterium
• Safety monitoring of biological products that derive from susceptible animals

References:
Virolainen, A., Salo, P., Jero, J., Karma, P.,  Eskola, J., and Leinonen, M. (1994) Comparison of PCR assay with bacterial culture for detecting Streptococcus pneumoniae in middle ear fluid of children with acute otitis media. J. Clin. Microbiol. 32: pp2667-2670.

Specimen requirements: 0.5 ml whole blood in EDTA (purple top) or ACD (yellow top) tube, or serum, pleural fluid, CSF or bacterial culture.

For specimen types other than those listed here, please call to confirm specimen acceptability and shipping instructions.

For all specimen types, if there will be a delay in shipping, or during very warm weather, refrigerate specimens until shipped and ship with a cold pack unless more stringent shipping requirements are specified. Frozen specimens should be shipped so as to remain frozen in transit. See shipping instructions for more information.

Turnaround time: 2 business days

Methodology: Qualitative PCR

Normal range: Nondetected