Article in Japanese

Clinical utility of the in-house PCR test in pediatric and perinatal care facilities

Hiroyuki AIBA^1）, Kensuke SHOJI^1）, Takanori FUNAKI^1）, Masaki YAMADA^{1, 2）}, Shota MYOJIN^1）, Kento KASAI^1）, Toshihiro MATSUI^1）, Naoko KONO^1）, Chitose KOYAMA^1）, Noriyasu IWASE^1）, Chikara OGIMI^1）, Isao MIYAIRI^{1, 3）}

This institution established an in-house polymerase chain reaction (PCR) laboratory in 2009. Infectious disease consultants determined the indications for pathogen testing by PCR in response to requests from primary attending physicians. Feedback forms, filled in by consulting infectious disease specialists for each case between October 2015 and February 2021, were analyzed regarding their effectiveness. A total of 912 cases were included, with a median age of 2 years (interquartile range: 0-6 years). Indications for PCR testing included 270 (30％) and 267 (29％) respiratory and central nervous system symptoms, respectively. Blood, upper or lower respiratory and cerebrospinal fluid sample specimens were analyzed in 336 (36.8％), 316 (35％) and 122 cases (13％), respectively. Test results became available within the same day in 816 (89％）cases and in 38 (4％) the following day. The major utility of PCR testing included the discontinuation of unnecessary drugs in 274 cases (30％) and the management of infection control and prevention issues in 177 (20％). Acyclovir was discontinued in 170 patients (62％) after confirming negative PCR results. The implementation of in-hospital PCR testing allowed the rapid return of test results to the clinical setting, which clinicians found useful in many cases for discontinuing medications and infection control.

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1）Division of Infectious Diseases, National Center for Child Health and Development
2）Department of Advanced Medicine for Viral Infections, National Center for Child Health and Development
3）Department of Pediatrics, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine

Key words	PCR, herpes simplex virus infection, acyclovir, infection control
Received	June 15, 2023
Accepted	April 13, 2024

36 (2)：125─133,2024