Detectlon of pathogens in elder patients with nosocomial lung infection by multi ─PCR

Pseudomonas aeruginosa,hemophilus influenza andstreptococci pneumoniae were detected in sputum samples from 30 elder patients with nosocomial lung infection by multi-PCR,mono-PCR and bacteriological culture. Twenty of the 30 sputum samples were positive for the 3 common pathogens by either multi-or mono-PCR(66.67%) while only 10 samples were positive by culture(33.33%,P＜0.01) .Multi-PCR is time-saving in addition to its advantages of high sensitivity and specificity compared with mono-PCR. Thus,multi-PCR technique seems suitable and promising for the detection of pathogens in sputum samples.