DETECTION OF STAPHYLOCOCCAL GENES DIRECTLY FROM CEREBROSPINAL AND PERITONEAL-FLUID SAMPLES USING A MULTIPLEX POLYMERASE-CHAIN-REACTION

A multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) that can simultaneously de tect eubacterial isolates and the methicillin-susceptibility of staphy lococcal isolates from cerebrospinal and peritoneal fluid samples was compared to conventional microbiological methods. Using conventional m ethods, bacteria were isolated from 8% (29/350) of the cerebrospinal f luid samples and from 5% (3/60) of the peritoneal fluid samples. All i solates except two Staphylococcus epidermidis isolates were also detec ted using the multiplex PCR. Coagulase-negative staphylococci and Stap hylococcus aureus were correctly identified using both methods. The mu ltiplex PCR can rapidly and simultaneously detect eubacteria, and the methicillin susceptibility of staphylococci from samples containing gr eater than or equal to 10(2) cfu/ml of bacteria.