Direct-from-Blood Pathogen Detection: Molecular Technologies Challenge the Blood Culture Paradigm
This review examines the surge of interest in molecular approaches to detect bloodstream pathogens directly from whole blood, without the delay of traditional blood culture. Technologies discussed include broad-range PCR, targeted multiplex panels, and emerging NGS-based metagenomics. The author highlights the practical challenges of incorporating these tools into the diagnostic algorithm, including analytical sensitivity limitations at low pathogen loads and the need for clinical validation in sepsis populations.
The original study
Direct-from-Blood Detection of Pathogens: a Review of Technology and Challenges.
- Authors
- Samuel L
- Journal
- Journal of clinical microbiology
- Type
- Journal Article, Review
- PMID
- 37222587
Original abstract
Blood cultures have been the staple of clinical microbiology laboratories for well over half a century, but gaps remain in our ability to identify the causative agent in patients presenting with signs and symptoms of sepsis. Molecular technologies have revolutionized the clinical microbiology laboratory in many areas but have yet to present a viable alternative to blood cultures. There has been a recent surge of interest in utilizing novel approaches to address this challenge. In this minireview, I discuss whether molecular tools will finally give us the answers we need and the practical challenges of incorporating them into the diagnostic algorithm.