Infections with beta-haemolytic streptococci: Detection by a universal PCR for bacterial DNA and DNA sequencing

PCR using universal bacterial primers and subsequent DNA sequence analysis of the PCR product was used to detect beta-haemolytic streptococci in clinical samples. Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus agalactiae and Streptococcus dysgalactiae were identified in 19 primary culture-negative cases of infections from 203 patient samples with detectable bacterial DNA