Comparative Evaluation of Conventional Culture and Polymerase Chain Reaction for the Diagnosis of Infectious Diseases in a Tertiary Care Hospital in North India

Abstract

Background: Accurate and timely diagnosis of infectious diseases is critical for effective patient management. Conventional culture methods, though considered the gold standard, have limitations such as longer turnaround time and reduced sensitivity in certain conditions. Molecular techniques like polymerase chain reaction (PCR) offer rapid and sensitive detection but have their own  limitations.