Objective To validate the performance of droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) reagents using clinical and standard strains, and to evaluate the effectiveness and practicability of ddPCR technology in clinical applications.

Methods The concordance rate, specificity, precision, and lower limit of detection of the ddPCR kit were validated using clinical and standard strains. Blood samples from 74 patients with suspected bloodstream infections were collected, and both ddPCR and blood culture methods were used to determine the pathogens in the patient's blood samples.

Results The average detection time of ddPCR for pathogens of bloodstream infection was 3.5 hours, which was able to complete the detection of over a dozen common pathogens simultaneously. The concordance rate, specificity, precision, and lower limit of detection of the ddPCR kit for bloodstream infection pathogens all met clinical requirements. Among the 74 patients with suspected bloodstream infections, the positive detection rate using the ddPCR method was 64.86%, while was 40.54% using blood culture, with a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05).

Conclusion The method of ddPCR can detect common pathogens of bloodstream infections rapidly, efficiently, and in large quantities, and its main detection performance can meet clinical needs. The combination of blood culture and ddPCR technology is conductive to early and rapid diagnosis of clinical bloodstream infection patients.