Rapid serodiagnosis of Staphylococcus aureus surgical site infection following median sternotomy

J Infect. 2006 Apr;52(4):276-81. doi: 10.1016/j.jinf.2005.06.006. Epub 2005 Jul 19.

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the sensitivity and specificity of a novel ELISA for the serodiagnosis of surgical site infection (SSI) due to staphylococci following median sternotomy.

Methods: Twelve patients with a superficial sternal SSI and 19 with a deep sternal SSI due to Staphylococcus aureus were compared with 37 control patients who also underwent median sternotomy for cardiac surgery but exhibited no microbiological or clinical symptoms of infection. A further five patients with sternal SSI due to coagulase-negative (CoNS) staphylococci were studied. An ELISA incorporating a recently recognised exocellular short chain form of lipoteichoic acid (lipid S) recovered from CoNS, was used to determine serum levels of anti-lipid S IgG in all patient groups.

Results: Serum anti-lipid S IgG titres of patients with sternal SSI due to S. aureus were significantly higher than the control patients (P<0.0001). In addition, patients with deep sternal SSI had significantly higher serum anti-lipid S IgG titres than patients with superficial sternal SSI (P = 0.03). Serum anti-lipid S IgG titres of patients with sternal SSI due to CoNS were significantly higher than the control patients (P = 0.001).

Conclusion: The lipid S ELISA may facilitate the diagnosis of sternal SSI due to S. aureus and could also be of value with infection due to CoNS.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / blood
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / methods*
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / standards*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / blood
  • Lipopolysaccharides / immunology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Staphylococcal Infections / diagnosis*
  • Staphylococcus aureus / immunology
  • Staphylococcus aureus / isolation & purification*
  • Sternum / microbiology
  • Sternum / surgery
  • Surgical Wound Infection / diagnosis*
  • Surgical Wound Infection / microbiology
  • Teichoic Acids / immunology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Bacterial
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • Teichoic Acids
  • lipoteichoic acid