Ventilator Associated Pneumonia Multiplex PCR for Anti-Infective Regimens

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) remains one of the main nosocomial infections acquired in the intensive care unit (ICU). VAP is pneumonia occurring 48 hours after intubation. Today, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is used for microbiological diagnosis, with bacterial culture and antibiotic susceptibility results within 48 to 72 hours. Multiplex PCR can detect DNA of a number of bacteriae, as well as the presence of resistance genes. However, its clinical value in the ICU remains to be demonstrated. We think that the use of multiplex PCR with a panel adapted to the microbiology of VAP, could be an interesting method for clinicians in ICU.