Abstract:

Objective To investigate the application value of 16S rDNA-based detection technique in the rapid screening for and confirmation of gonococcemia. Methods A 41-year-old male patient was hospitalized for recurrent regular fever and chills for 1 month. Several days before the admission, he developed urgent micturition, frequent micturition and pain in urination, anemia with emaciation appearance, slightly pale-looking skin and mucous membranes. No petechia, skin eruption or superficial lymphadenectasis was observed, but routine blood test and urine test results were abnormal. No abnormality was found in stool test or hepatic and renal function. DNA was extracted from the blood of the patient and subjected to PCR for the amplification of 16S rDNA followed by sequence analysis and homology analysis. At the same time, bacterial culture of blood and drug sensitivity test for the bacterial isolate were performed. Results Homology analysis indicated that the amplicon sequence was consistent with the known sequence of 16S rDNA of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in GeneBank, which agreed well with the culture result of peripheral blood. Conclusion The detection of 16s rDNA with PCR from peripheral blood is highly efficient, specific, sensitive, rapid and accurate for the screening for and confirmation of gonococcemia.

Key words: Bacteremia