Hnmr Spectroscopy and Gas Liquid Chromatography in Rapid Detection of Nonsporing Anaerobes from Clinical Specimens

The nonsporing anaerobes are commonly implicated as significant pathogens in human infections especially brain abscesses. Conventional laboratory diagnosis of anaerobes is time-consuming. Rapid detection of anaerobes from the clinical specimens is the need of the hour. Direct Gas Liquid Chromatography (GLC) has been reported to be useful in rapid detection of anaerobes from the clinical specimens. The present study was carried out to evaluate a new technique, Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance ( 1 HNMR) for the direct detection of anaerobes from clinical specimens. A total of 34 pus specimens collected from brain abscesses were subjected to Conventional Microbiological Culture, Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance ( 1 HNMR) and Gas Liquid Chromatography (GLC). The results of these two rapid techniques were correlated with the culture. Out of 34 pus specimens, eight pus specimens showed presence of anaerobes by culture. NMR (100%) and GLC (75%) correlated well with the culture in the detection of anaerobes. Seven pus specimens which were negative for anaerobes by culture showed presence of anaerobes by this two rapid techniques.NMR seems to have the potential in direct detection of anaerobes. NMR correlated well with culture and the traditional GLC which is usually used for the rapid detection of anaerobes. An important advantage of NMR is that the pus specimens do not require pretreatment as that of GLC. Both rapid techniques could detect presence of anaerobes where culture failed.