OBJECTIVETo explore the feasibility of using gene chip method to identify pathogens in blood cultures.

METHODSClinical blood samples were obtained and cultured using an automated blood culture system. A gene chip diagnostic kit was used to detect the pathogenic bacteria in these blood cultures following the procedures of target gene extraction and amplification, hybridization and result analysis. The conventional method was also used to isolate and identify the bacteria from the clinical blood cultures, and the results of the two methods were compared.

RESULTSIn the 86 clinical blood samples, 74 were positive and 12 negative according to the conventional method, while 48 were positive and 38 negative as found by the gene chip method, showing significant differences in the results (P<0.05). The two methods only had a concordance rate of 69.77%.

CONCLUSIONThe gene chip diagnostic kit has low concordance rate with the conventional method for detecting pathogens in clinical blood cultures and awaits further improvement.