Detection and identification of bacterial DNA in serum from patients with acute pancreatitis

• Published in: Gut Vol. 54; no. 9; pp. 1293 - 1297
• Main Authors: de Madaria, E, Martínez, J, Lozano, B, Sempere, L, Benlloch, S, Such, J, Uceda, F, Francés, R, Pérez-Mateo, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and British Society of Gastroenterology 01.09.2005; BMJ; BMJ Publishing Group LTD; Copyright 2005 by Gut
• Subjects: Abdomen; Acute Disease; acute pancreatitis; Adult; Aged; Antibiotics; bactDNA; Bacteria; bacterial DNA; Bacterial Infections - complications; Bacterial Translocation; base pairs; Biological and medical sciences; C reactive protein; Case-Control Studies; Chi-Square Distribution; Citrobacter freundii; Citrobacter freundii - genetics; CRP; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; DNA, Bacterial - blood; Enterobacteriaceae Infections - complications; Female; Gangrene; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; GNB; gram negative bacteria; human; Humans; Infections; Liver. Biliary tract. Portal circulation. Exocrine pancreas; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Mortality; Other diseases. Semiology; Pancreatitis; Pancreatitis - microbiology; Patients; PCR; Permeability; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Pseudomonas aeruginosa - genetics; Pseudomonas Infections - complications; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - analysis; Rodents; Time Factors; Pseudomonadales; Human; Acute; Gut; Pancreatitis; Identification; Citrobacter freundii; Infection; Polymerase chain reaction; DNA; Bacteriosis; Digestive diseases; Bacteria; Pseudomonadaceae; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Serum; Molecular biology; Enterobacteriaceae; Pancreatic disease
• ISSN: 0017-5749; 1468-3288; 1458-3288
• DOI: 10.1136/gut.2004.047514

Background and aims: Bacterial infections are common complications in patients with acute pancreatitis, and translocation of bacteria from the intestinal lumen is probably the first step in the pathogenesis of these infections. As blood cultures in afebrile patients are usually negative, more sensitive methods to investigate this hypothesis in patients are needed. Our group has recently developed a method to detect the presence of bacterial DNA in biological fluids, and we aimed to detect bacterial DNA in patients with acute pancreatitis, as molecular evidences of bacterial translocation. Methods: Samples of blood were obtained on three consecutive days within the first six days after admission. Bacterial DNA was detected using a polymerase chain reaction based method, and an automated DNA nucleotide sequencing process allowed identification of bacteria species. Results: Thirty one consecutively admitted patients with acute pancreatitis were studied. Bacterial DNA was detected in six patients (19.3%), and the sequencing process allowed identification of Citrobacter freundii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In two patients the same bacteria detected at admission was detected 24 hours later (above 99.9% homology of nucleotide sequence). Basic clinical and biochemical characteristics were similar among patients with or without the presence of bacterial DNA. Conclusion: Detection of gram negative bacteria derived bacterial DNA in our series supports the contention that bacterial translocation is a systemic process in approximately 20% of patients with acute pancreatitis that does not seem to be related to the severity of the episode or immediate development of infection.