The efficiency of sodC gene / N. meningitidis detection in comparison with the classical methods for the diagnosis of meningococcal infection / Evaluarea eficienţei Real Time PCR TaqMan utilizând gena sodC / N. meningitidis în comparaţie cu metodele clasice utilizate în diagnosticul infecţiei meningococice

Meningococcal infection requires a fast and accurate diagnostic method in order to correctly initiate the antibiotic therapy. The aim of our study was to assess the efficiency of Real Time PCR -Taq Man using sod C gene / N. meningitidis in comparison with the classical methods for the diagnosis of meningococcal infection - direct microscopy, cultivation, latex agglutination and blood culture. We have detected 24/44 (54.54%) patients with meningococcal infection. In both cases of patients with / without previous antibiotic therapy before admission, the AUC (area under curve) had the highest values for RT PCR in CSF and blood analysis. This sod C RT-PCR assay is a highly sensitive and specific method for detection of Neisseria meningitis and it would be useful to include this method like a multiplex in routine testing of patients with clinical meningococcal infection for other etiological agents also.