The Molecular Detection Opportunistic Microorganism Panel is used for the analysis of opportunistic bacteria from classes Bacilli, Betaproteobacteria, and Gammaproteobacteria that cause nosocomial and community-acquired infections with an aid of the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) method.
Opportunistic microorganisms can become the reason for a developing infectious process under several conditions like chronic diseases, traumas, specific medical therapy, hospitalizations, pregnancy, and childbirth, young or old age. Medical centers have special hospital flora with certain types of microorganisms that are potential infectious agents. They can be transmitted from other patients or from medical personnel and cause nosocomial infections, which often lead to severe disease and prolonged hospitalization. Infections, caused by opportunistic microorganisms, can vary from purulent-inflammatory skin diseases to pneumonia, necrotizing fasciitis, and meningitis. Opportunistic microorganisms can also cause community-acquired infections, such as upper and lower respiratory and urinary tract infections, skin and soft tissue infections, etc. Such infections are especially dangerous for patients with chronic diseases (diabetes mellitus, cystic fibrosis, alcoholism, etc.).
Several representatives of opportunistic microorganisms have been united in a separate group of microbes. ESKAPE pathogens are nosocomial infection causative agents that are highly virulent and antibiotic-resistant microorganisms. (ESKAPE: Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniaе, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter spp.).
The implementation of highly sensitive molecular diagnostic systems in the microbiological diagnostic routine is on the rise. Multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) systems allow the coverage of multiple pathogens in one or several tubes within the same assay and even resistance determinants can be addressed. PCR-based assays are usually more expensive but also more sensitive and much faster than culture-based methods. This usually increases the quality of diagnosis and offers the possibility of an earlier targeted antimicrobial treatment.
The Molecular Detection Opportunistic Microorganism Panel includes the following microorganisms:
- Achromobacter ruhlandii: The most clinically significant bacteria for patients with cystic fibrosis
- Achromobacter xylosoxidans: The most clinically significant bacteria for patients with cystic fibrosis
- Acinetobacter spp.: Common causative agents of severe nosocomial infections. ESKAPE pathogen. A. baumannii is often multidrug resistant
- Burkholderia spp.: Clinically significant microbe for patients with cystic fibrosis
- Citrobacter freundii: Often acquires antibiotics multidrug resistance
- Citrobacter koseri: Often causes infections in newborns and in immunocompromised patients
- Enterobacter cloacae: Has resistance to antibiotics. ESKAPE pathogen
- Enterobacteriales: Includes many clinically significant species (Citrobacter spp, E. coli, Klebsiella spp, etc.)
- Enterococcus spp.: E. faecium (80–90% of all enterococci isolated from humans) causes nosocomial infection, and can be often resistant to antibiotics; ESKAPE pathogen. E. faecalis (5–10%) is a causative agent of community-acquired infections
- Escherichia coli: Dominant causative agent of nosocomial infections, including those with multiple antibiotic resistance
- Haemophilus spp.: Includes many clinically significant species (H. influenzaе, H. parainfluenzae, H. haemolyticus etc.). H. parainfluenzae can cause up to 4% of community-acquired pneumonia
- Haemophilus influenzae: One of the main causative agents of lung infection in patients with cystic fibrosis. More than 90% of invasive H. influenzae infections occur in children younger than 5 years (mostly newborns)
- Klebsiella pneumoniae: Often leads to infectious pathologies and can be lethal to immunosuppressed patients. ESKAPE pathogen
- Klebsiella oxytoca: Can have antibiotic drug resistance
- Morganella morganii: Causes infections of postoperative wounds and urinary tract. Some strains are resistant to multiple antibiotics. Can cause various infectious diseases with high mortality
- Serratia marcescens: Causes outbreaks of nosocomial infections. Some isolates are resistant to extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBLs) or imipenem
- Staphylococcus spp.: Especially dangerous for immunocompromised patients, patients with chronic diseases, and prolonged hospitalized people. It is often antibiotic resistant
- Staphylococcus aureus: This may lead to the development of bacteremia, endocarditis; osteoarticular and pleuropulmonary infections, as well as infections of the skin and soft tissues. Especially clinically significant for patients with cystic fibrosis. ESKAPE pathogen
- Stenotrophomonas maltophilia: Often has multidrug resistance. Clinically significant for patients with cystic fibrosis
- Streptococcus spp.: Can cause infections of various localization and severity, including invasive infections
- Streptococcus agalactiae: May cause meningitis, bacteremia in newborns; postpartum infections in parturient women
- Streptococcus pneumoniae: One of the main causative agents of pneumonia in the world affects immunocompromised patients
- Streptococcus pyogenes: Causes both mild and severe infections, including necrotizing fasciitis, streptococcal toxic shock syndrome, and bacteremia
- Proteus spp.: P. mirabilis and P. vulgaris cause urinary tract infections, wound infections, and meningitis. P. mirabilis is multidrug-resistant
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa: Clinically significant for patients with cystic fibrosis. ESKAPE pathogen
