New genomic test diagnoses virtually any infection

Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) have developed genomic test capable of quickly detecting almost any type pathogen. This is a test whose results are published in a journal Natural medicine, can speed up detection future viral pandemics and improve care neurological infections causing diseases such as meningitis And encephalitisthe authors note.

The team used a powerful genomic sequencing technique called metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS). “Its advantage is that instead of looking for one type of pathogen each time, it analyzes all the nucleic acids, RNA and DNA present in the sample,” he points out. Charles Chiuprofessor of laboratory medicine and infectious diseases at UCSF and senior author of the study. In the Nature Medicine paper, the team showed that the test correctly detected 86% of neurological infections.

“Unlike other diagnostic methods, the mNGS test uses a non-targeted approach that does not require prior clinical suspicion of the cause of the infection. In addition, it allows us to detect the full range of pathogens that cause infections, such as bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites, in one test,” Chiu explains to SINC. Scientists initially developed a clinical mNGS test to analyze cerebrospinal fluid

, which bathes the brain and spinal cord. During the seven-year study, the test was administered to thousands of patients with unexplained neurological symptoms at both UCSF and other U.S. hospitals. In their work, the authors showed that it correctly identifies 86% of such infections.

Pathogens in respiratory fluids

In an additional study published in Natural communicationsthe team also used next generation metagenomic sequencing identify pathogens in respiratory fluids that can cause pneumoniaand automated it to get results faster. Chiu comments that ” COVID-19 accelerated the development of mNGS tests applicable to respiratory infections to detect viruses before they spread or to assist in pandemic response. This technologyhe adds, “this able to identify new viruses even without reference human genomess, due to genetic similarity to viruses of animals and other organisms.

“Metagenomic sequencing can identify new viruses even without reference human genomes due to genetic similarity to viruses from animals and other organisms.”

Charles Chiu, Lead Author (University of California, San Francisco)

One of the main challenges was to automate the mNGS test so that it could be performed in a typical clinical laboratory. The goal was to reduce processing time to less than 24 hours and minimize manual intervention, simplifying the process from more than 100 steps to less than 30, explains the researcher.

To make this technology widely available, UCSF has licensed testing launch Delve Bioco-founded by Charles Chiu. The goal will be to offer it as a reference test in hospitals and clinics.. “In the future, we hope that simplification and automation will allow it to be used in local laboratories and health centers,” says the co-author.