Table 2 Comparison of different molecular assays and the routine clinical method for enteropathogen identification.

From: Comparison of several Real-Time PCR Kits versus a Culture-dependent Algorithm to Identify Enteropathogens in Stool Samples

 

No. Cases

Detection with different assays

 

VIASURE monoplex

VIASURE multiplex

R-Biopharm multiplex

Conventional diagnosticb

Resolution test

Salmonella

9 S. Typhimurium, 5 S. Enteritidis, 2 S. serogroup G, 1 S. Mbandaka, 1 S. Braenderup, 1 S. Paratyphi A

19

+

+

+

+

N/Ac

1 Salmonella spp

1

+

+

+

-

Sequencingd

1 S. serogroup G

1

+

+

-

+

N/Ac

1 S. Typhimurium

1

-

-

+

+

N/Ac

1 S. Typhimurium, 1 S. Enteritidis

2

-

-

-

+

N/Ac

Total

24

21

21

21

23

 

Campylobacter

35 C. jejuni, 3 C. coli, 3 Campylobacter spp

41

+

+

+

+

N/Ac

5 C. concisus, 3 C. jejuni, 2 C. coli, 1 C. curvus, 1 C. gracilis, 4 Campylobacter spp

16

+

+

+

-

Sequencinge

1 C. jejuni

1

+

+

-

+

N/Ac

4 C. upsaliensis, 2 C. hyointestinalis, 1 C. coli, 1 C. concisus, 1 C. helveticus, 1 Campylobacter spp

10

+

+

-

-

Mericon assay/Sequencingf

1 Campylobacter spp

1

+

-

+

-

Mericong

1 C. concisus, 1 C. rectus

2

+

-

-

-

Mericon/ Sequencingh

Total

71

71

68

58

42

 

Yersinia enterocolitica

4 Yersinia enterocolitica O:3

4

+

+

+

+

N/Ac

Total

4

4

4

4

4

 
  1. Abbreviations: +, positive detection; −, negative detection; S., Salmonella; C., Campylobacter; N/A, not applicable.
  2. bConventional diagnostic assays included the culture method, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, agglutination assays, and biochemical tests.
  3. cA discrepancy analysis was not applicable, because these samples were positive in culture, which immediately defined them as a “case”.
  4. dConventional PCR was unsuccessful; therefore, the Salmonella serotype was not resolved in this sample; however, it was considered a “case”, based on three diagnostic methods, which supported a positive result.
  5. eSequencing was not successful in 4/16 samples, but the Mericon assay (the qPCR resolution test) performed with these four samples provided a positive result; thus, all were considered “cases”.
  6. fAll of these samples were positive in the Mericon assay, and the positive result was confirmed with sequencing in 9/10 samples.
  7. gThis sample was positive in the Mericon assay.
  8. hThese two samples were positive in the Mericon assay, and the positive result was confirmed by sequencing in both samples.