New report on use of multiplex panels for diagnosing infectious diseases

The Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP) today published a review of the current benefits and challenges to using multiplex PCR panels for the detection of microbial pathogens from gastrointestinal, central nervous system, lower respiratory tract, and joint specimens.

The manuscript, "Exploring the Utility of Multiplex Infectious Disease Panel Testing for Diagnosis of Infection in Different Body Sites: A Joint Report of the Association for Molecular Pathology, American Society for Microbiology (ASM), Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), and Pan American Society for Clinical Virology (PASCV)," was released online ahead of publication in The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics.

Multiplex molecular panels continue to be adopted by more clinical laboratories for the detection of microbial pathogens in a wider range of settings. Although there is substantial data demonstrating the clinical impact of multiplex panels for respiratory pathogens, there is relatively less information available from other body sites.

The AMP Infectious Diseases Multiplex Working Group conducted a review on the use of multiplex PCR panels for the detection of pathogens from gastrointestinal, central nervous system, lower respiratory tract, and joint specimens. The report also highlighted future directions and novel approaches to detection of pathogens in alternate specimen types, and outlined challenges associated with the implementation of these multiplex PCR panels.

"Molecular multiplex panels are quickly supplanting conventional pathogen detection methods," said Michael A. Lewinski, Ph.D., Chair of the AMP Infectious Diseases Multiplex Working Group. "This new report offers a detailed snapshot of the various clinical and analytical benefits and challenges associated with these panels for diagnosis of infection in different body sites. We also raise a few questions that warrant further study."

"Evidence regarding clinical utility of multiplex diagnostic panels for infectious diseases continues to emerge and needs to be published," said Esther Babady, Ph.D., AMP member, PASCV project representative, and Chief of the Clinical Microbiology Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

"AMP in collaboration with organizations like ASM, IDSA, and PASCV will continue to monitor real-world evidence, share our members' expertise, and provide the broader laboratory community with a menu of resources to help improve clinical practice."