Browsing by Subject "Microbial cell-free diagnostics"

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Microbial Cell-Free DNA Identifies Etiology of Bloodstream Infections, Persists Longer Than Conventional Blood Cultures, and its Duration of Detection is Associated with Metastatic Infection in Patients with Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-Negative Bacteremia.
    (Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, 2021-08-30) Eichenberger, Emily M; de Vries, Christiaan R; Ruffin, Felicia; Sharma-Kuinkel, Batu; Park, Lawrence; Hong, David; Scott, Erick R; Blair, Lily; Degner, Nicholas; Hollemon, Desiree H; Blauwkamp, Timothy A; Ho, Carine; Seng, Hon; Shah, Pratik; Wanda, Lisa; Fowler, Vance G; Ahmed, Asim A

    Background

    Microbial cell-free DNA (mcfDNA) sequencing of plasma can identify presence of a pathogen in a host. This study evaluated the duration of pathogen detection by mcfDNA sequencing vs. conventional blood culture in patients with bacteremia.

    Methods

    Blood samples from patients with culture-confirmed bloodstream infection were collected within 24 hours of the index positive blood culture and 48 to 72 hours thereafter. mcfDNA was extracted from plasma and next-generation sequencing (NGS) applied. Reads were aligned against a curated pathogen database. Statistical significance was defined with Bonferroni adjustment for multiple comparisons (p < 0.0033).

    Results

    A total of 175 patients with Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SAB; n=66), Gram-negative bacteremia (GNB; n=74), or non-infected controls (n=35) were enrolled. The overall sensitivity of mcfDNA sequencing compared to index blood culture was 89.3% (125/140) and the specificity was 74.3%. Among patients with bacteremia, pathogen specific mcfDNA remained detectable for significantly longer than conventional blood cultures (median 15 days vs. 2 days; p<0.0001). Each additional day of mcfDNA detection significantly increased the odds of metastatic infection (Odds Ratio [OR]: 2.89; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.53-5.46; p=0.0011).

    Conclusions

    Pathogen mcfDNA identified the bacterial etiology of bloodstream infection for a significantly longer interval than conventional cultures, and its duration of detection was associated with increased risk for metastatic infection. mcfDNA could play a role in the diagnosis of partially treated endovascular infections.