Comparison of real-time PCR and a microimmunofluorescence serological assay for detection of chlamydophila pneumoniae infection in an outbreak investigation

Alvaro J Benitez; Kathleen A Thurman; Maureen H Diaz; Laura Conklin; Newton E Kendig; Jonas M Winchell

doi:10.1128/JCM.05357-11

Comparison of real-time PCR and a microimmunofluorescence serological assay for detection of chlamydophila pneumoniae infection in an outbreak investigation

J Clin Microbiol. 2012 Jan;50(1):151-3. doi: 10.1128/JCM.05357-11. Epub 2011 Oct 26.

Authors

Alvaro J Benitez¹, Kathleen A Thurman, Maureen H Diaz, Laura Conklin, Newton E Kendig, Jonas M Winchell

Affiliation

¹ Respiratory Diseases Branch, Division of Bacterial Diseases, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

Abstract

We assessed the performance of a recently validated real-time PCR assay and a commercially available microimmunofluorescence serologic test for the detection of Chlamydophila pneumoniae infection during an outbreak. Evaluation of specimens from 137 individuals suggests that real-time PCR holds greater utility as a diagnostic tool for early C. pneumoniae detection.

Publication types

Comparative Study
Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

Chlamydophila Infections / diagnosis*
Chlamydophila Infections / epidemiology
Chlamydophila Infections / microbiology
Chlamydophila pneumoniae / isolation & purification*
Clinical Laboratory Techniques / methods*
Disease Outbreaks
Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Direct / methods*
Humans
Predictive Value of Tests
Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods*
Sensitivity and Specificity