Is there any role for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or molecular testing in pediatric musculoskeletal infection (PMSI)?

Authors: Ali Parsa, Irene Kalbian, Karan Goswami

RECOMMENDATION: PCR may be a useful diagnostic adjunct with the potential to expedite a preliminary diagnosis of PMSI in comparison to the use of microbiological culture alone. Furthermore, PCR can enable pathogen identification in cases where the organism is indolent, fastidious or difficult to culture. However, data remains sparse and further research is needed to standardize molecular techniques, minimize contamination and explore emerging molecular methods that are primer-independent.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Limited

DELEGATE VOTE: Agree: 93%, Disagree: 2%, Abstain: 5% (Super Majority, Strong Consensus)

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