RT-PCR testing of allograft musculoskeletal tissue: is it time for culture-based methods to move over?

This study evaluated the recovery of low numbers of challenge organisms from inoculated swab and musculoskeletal biopsy samples using solid agar culture, cooked meat medium, blood culture bottles and a RT-PCR assay. It was found that broth culture methods were the most sensitive with RT-PCR unable to detect low numbers of bacteria from these samples. Investigation of other non-culture methods may be worthwhile.
Source: Pathology - Category: Pathology Tags: Microbiology Source Type: research