TABLE 4.
Comparison of real-time and nested PCR assays with cell culturing for detection of C. pneumoniae in 179 oropharyngeal specimens
| No. (%) of oropharyngeal specimens | Resulta of:
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Culturingb | Real-time TaqMan
|
16S rRNA nested PCR | ompA nested touchdown PCR | |||
| VD2 | VD4 | |||||
| 2 (1.1) | + | + | + | − | − | |
| 2 (1.1) | + | − | − | − | − | |
| 1 (0.6) | − | + | + | − | − | |
| 2 (1.1) | Overgrowthc | − | + | − | − | |
| 1 (0.6) | − | − | + | − | − | |
| 1 (0.6) | Overgrowth | − | − | + | − | |
| 2 (1.1) | − | − | − | + | − | |
| 6 (3.3) | Overgrowth | − | − | − | − | |
| 162 (90.5) | − | − | − | − | − | |
a
+, positive; −, negative.
b
One to three chlamydial inclusions were visualized in three wells. Only one of the positive cultures could be propagated after three blind passages. The other three positive cultures could not be propagated, and results were confirmed by PCR analysis of the infected monolayers.
c
Overgrowth by respiratory flora.