Article

Studying bacterial infections through culture-independent approaches.

Molecular Microbiology Research Laboratory, Pharmaceutical Science Division, Franklin-Wilkins Building, King's College London, 150 Stamford Street, London SE1 9NH, UK.
Journal of Medical Microbiology (impact factor: 2.5). 06/2009; 58(Pt 11):1401-18. DOI:10.1099/jmm.0.013334-0 pp.1401-18
Source: PubMed

ABSTRACT The ability to characterize accurately the cause of infection is fundamental to effective treatment. The impact of any antimicrobial agents used to treat infection will, however, always be constrained by both the appropriateness of their use and our ability to determine their effectiveness. Traditional culture-based diagnostic microbiology is, in many cases, unable to provide this information. Molecular microbiological approaches that assess the content of clinical samples in a culture-independent manner promise to change dramatically the types of data that are obtained routinely from clinical samples. We argue that, in addition to the technical advance that these methodologies offer, a conceptual advance in the way that we reflect on the information generated is also required. Through the development of both of these advances, our understanding of infection, as well as the ways in which infections can be treated, may be improved. In the analysis of the microbiological content of certain clinical samples, such as blood, cerebrospinal fluid, brain and bone biopsy, culture-independent approaches have been well documented. Herein, we discuss how extensions to such studies can shape our understanding of infection at the many sites of the human body where a mixed flora, or in more ecological terms, a community of microbes, is present. To do this, we consider the underlying principles that underpin diagnostic systems, describe the ways in which these systems can be applied to community characterization, and discuss the significance of the data generated. We propose that at all locations within the human body where infection is routinely initiated within the context of a community of microbes, the same principles will apply. To consider this further, we take insights from areas such as the gut, oral cavity and skin. The main focus here is understanding respiratory tract infection, and specifically the infections of the cystic fibrosis lung. The impact that the use of culture-independent, molecular analyses will have on the way we approach the treatment of infections is also considered.

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Keywords

bone biopsy
 
cerebrospinal fluid
 
certain clinical samples
 
clinical samples
 
conceptual advance
 
culture-independent approaches
 
culture-independent manner promise
 
cystic fibrosis lung
 
ecological terms
 
effective treatment
 
main focus
 
methodologies offer
 
microbiological content
 
mixed flora
 
molecular analyses
 
Molecular microbiological approaches
 
technical advance
 
Traditional culture-based diagnostic microbiology
 
underlying principles
 
underpin diagnostic systems
 

Geraint B Rogers