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Quarton S, Livesey A, Pittaway H, Adiga A, Grudzinska F, McNally A, Dosanjh D, Sapey E, Parekh D. Clinical challenge of diagnosing non-ventilator hospital-acquired pneumonia and identifying causative pathogens: a narrative review. J Hosp Infect 2024; 149:189-200. [PMID: 38621512 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2024.02.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
Non-ventilated hospital-acquired pneumonia (NV-HAP) is associated with a significant healthcare burden, arising from high incidence and associated morbidity and mortality. However, accurate identification of cases remains challenging. At present, there is no gold-standard test for the diagnosis of NV-HAP, requiring instead the blending of non-specific signs and investigations. Causative organisms are only identified in a minority of cases. This has significant implications for surveillance, patient outcomes and antimicrobial stewardship. Much of the existing research in HAP has been conducted among ventilated patients. The paucity of dedicated NV-HAP research means that conclusions regarding diagnostic methods, pathology and interventions must largely be extrapolated from work in other settings. Progress is also limited by the lack of a widely agreed definition for NV-HAP. The diagnosis of NV-HAP has large scope for improvement. Consensus regarding a case definition will allow meaningful research to improve understanding of its aetiology and the heterogeneity of outcomes experienced by patients. There is potential to optimize the role of imaging and to incorporate novel techniques to identify likely causative pathogens. This would facilitate both antimicrobial stewardship and surveillance of an important healthcare-associated infection. This narrative review considers the utility of existing methods to diagnose NV-HAP, with a focus on the significance and challenge of identifying pathogens. It discusses the limitations in current techniques, and explores the potential of emergent molecular techniques to improve microbiological diagnosis and outcomes for patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Quarton
- National Institute for Health Research Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
| | - A Livesey
- National Institute for Health Research/Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Facility, University Hospitals Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - H Pittaway
- Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, University Hospitals Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - A Adiga
- Warwick Hospital, South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust, Warwick, UK
| | - F Grudzinska
- Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - A McNally
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - D Dosanjh
- Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - E Sapey
- National Institute for Health Research Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK; National Institute for Health Research Midlands Patient Safety Research Collaboration, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK; National Institute for Health Research Midlands Applied Research Collaborative, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - D Parekh
- Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
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Wang S, Xu K, Wang G. Delayed diagnosis of persistent Q fever: a case series from China. BMC Infect Dis 2024; 24:591. [PMID: 38886677 PMCID: PMC11181675 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-024-09484-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Q fever, caused by the zoonotic pathogen Coxiella burnetii, exhibits a worldwide prevalence. In China, Q fever is not recognized as a notifiable disease, and the disease is overlooked and underestimated in clinical practice, leading to diagnostic challenges. CASE PRESENTATION We present a case series of three patients diagnosed with persistent Q fever between 2022 and 2023. The average age of our three cases was 63.33 years old, consisting of two males and one female. The medical history of the individuals included previous valve replacement, aneurysm followed by aortic stent-graft placement and prosthetic hip joint replacement. At the onset of the disease, only one case exhibited acute fever, while the remaining two cases were devoid of any acute symptoms. The etiology was initially overlooked until metagenomic next-generation sequencing test identified Coxiella burnetii from the blood or biopsy samples. Delayed diagnosis was noted, with a duration ranging from three months to one year between the onset of the disease and its confirmation. The epidemiological history uncovered that none of the three cases had direct exposure to domestic animals or consumption of unpasteurized dairy products. Case 1 and 2 resided in urban areas, while Case 3 was a rural resident engaged in farming. All patients received combination therapy of doxycycline and hydroxychloroquine, and no recurrence of the disease was observed during the follow-up period. CONCLUSION Q fever is rarely diagnosed and reported in clinical practice in our country. We should be aware of persistent Q fever in high-risk population, even with unremarkable exposure history. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing holds great potential as a diagnostic tool for identifying rare and fastidious pathogens such as Coxiella burnetii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanshan Wang
- Department of Infectious Disease, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
| | - Ke Xu
- Department of Infectious Disease, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
| | - Gang Wang
- Department of Infectious Disease, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China.
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Tsang HF, Cheung YS, Yu CSA, Chan CSS, Wong CBT, Yim KYA, Pei X, Wong SCC. Menstrual Blood as a Diagnostic Specimen for Human Papillomavirus Genotyping and Genital Tract Infection Using Next-Generation Sequencing as a Novel Diagnostic Tool. Diagnostics (Basel) 2024; 14:686. [PMID: 38611599 PMCID: PMC11012019 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics14070686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Menstrual blood (MB) is a convenient specimen type that can be self-collected easily and non-invasively by women. This study assessed the potential application of MB as a diagnostic specimen to detect genital tract infections (GTIs) and human papillomavirus (HPV) infections in women. METHOD Genomic DNA was extracted from MB samples. Pacific Bioscience (Pacbio) 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) high-fidelity (HiFi) long-read sequencing and HPV PCR were performed. RESULTS MB samples were collected from women with a pathological diagnosis of CIN1, CIN2, CIN3 or HPV infection. The sensitivity and positive predictive value (PPV) of high-risk HPV detection using MB were found to be 66.7%. A shift in vaginal flora and a significant depletion in Lactobacillus spp. in the vaginal microbiota communities were observed in the MB samples using 16S rDNA sequencing. CONCLUSIONS In this study, we demonstrated that MB is a proper diagnostic specimen of consideration for non-invasive detection of HPV DNA and genotyping using PCR and the diagnosis of GTIs using metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS). MB testing is suitable for all women who menstruate and this study has opened up the possibility of the use of MB as a diagnostic specimen to maintain women's health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hin-Fung Tsang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory and Pathology, Hong Kong Adventist Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yui-Shing Cheung
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China; (Y.-S.C.); (C.-S.S.C.)
| | - Chi-Shing Allen Yu
- Codex Genetics Limited, Hong Kong SAR, China; (C.-S.A.Y.); (C.-B.T.W.); (K.-Y.A.Y.)
| | - Chung-Sum Sammy Chan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China; (Y.-S.C.); (C.-S.S.C.)
| | - Chi-Bun Thomas Wong
- Codex Genetics Limited, Hong Kong SAR, China; (C.-S.A.Y.); (C.-B.T.W.); (K.-Y.A.Y.)
| | - Kay-Yuen Aldrin Yim
- Codex Genetics Limited, Hong Kong SAR, China; (C.-S.A.Y.); (C.-B.T.W.); (K.-Y.A.Y.)
| | - Xiaomeng Pei
- Department of Applied Biology & Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China;
| | - Sze-Chuen Cesar Wong
- Department of Applied Biology & Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China;
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Mewara A, Gile GH, Mathison B, Zhao H, Pritt B, Bradbury RS. Lophomonas as a respiratory pathogen-jumping the gun. J Clin Microbiol 2024; 62:e0084523. [PMID: 37902329 PMCID: PMC10793291 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.00845-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Human infections with the protozoan Lophomonas have been increasingly reported in the medical literature over the past three decades. Initial reports were based on microscopic identification of the purported pathogen in respiratory specimens. Later, a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was developed to detect Lophomonas blattarum, following which there has been a significant increase in reports. In this minireview, we thoroughly examine the published reports of Lophomonas infection to evaluate its potential role as a human pathogen. We examined the published images and videos of purported Lophomonas, compared its morphology and motility characteristics with host bronchial ciliated epithelial cells and true L. blattarum derived from cockroaches, analyzed the published PCR that is being used for its diagnosis, and reviewed the clinical data of patients reported in the English and Chinese literature. From our analysis, we conclude that the images and videos from human specimens do not represent true Lophomonas and are predominantly misidentified ciliated epithelial cells. Additionally, we note that there is insufficient clinical evidence to attribute the cases to Lophomonas infection, as the clinical manifestations are non-specific, possibly caused by other infections and comorbidities, and there is no associated tissue pathology attributable to Lophomonas. Finally, our analysis reveals that the published PCR is not specific to Lophomonas and can amplify DNA from commensal trichomonads. Based on this thorough review, we emphasize the need for rigorous scientific scrutiny before a microorganism is acknowledged as a novel human pathogen and discuss the potential harms of misdiagnoses for patient care and scientific literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhishek Mewara
- Department of Medical Parasitology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Gillian H. Gile
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Blaine Mathison
- Institute for Clinical and Experimental Pathology, ARUP Laboratories, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Huan Zhao
- Federation University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Bobbi Pritt
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
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Qu H, Wang Y, Diao H, Ren G, Wang Z, Shang J, Shangguan L, Wang H. Clinical characteristics of 15 patients with listeria meningitis in adult. Heliyon 2024; 10:e23755. [PMID: 38223708 PMCID: PMC10784154 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e23755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective To report and analyze the clinical characteristics of 15 patients with Listeria meningitis in adult. Methods We reviewed the medical records of 15 patients with Listeria meningitis who were admitted to Shanxi Bethune Hospital between January 2017 and January 2023. Results The clinical manifestations was primarily characterized by fever, altered mental status, headache, neck stiffness, and vomiting. Blood or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cultures were performed in 15 cases, and pathogens were detected in 11 of them. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) detected pathogens in 10 cases, with four being negative by conventional methods and six being positive through traditional tests. The laboratory blood results presented leukocytosis. The CSF analysis upon admission showed elevated levels of white blood cells and proteins, as well as decreased chloride and glucose concentration. The brain computed tomography (CT) revealed ventricular enlargement in 3 patients. The brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed abnormalities in multiple areas of the brain. Despite 3 patients with decompensated hydrocephalus underwent lateral ventricle puncture and drainage,their neurological deterioration were increasingly deteriorating.7 patients were treated by mechanical ventilation due to respiratory insufficiency. After 3 months, there were 9 cases with excellent outcomes(modified Rankin Scale score of 0-2),2 cases with favorable outcomes(score of 3-5), and 4 deaths(score of 6). Conclusions This thesis found that the detection rate of Listeria monocytogenes has been on a rise over the past six years in our department, ranking second only to Streptococcus pneumoniae. Additionally, the detection rate achieved by mNGS surpasses that of other conventional methods. Among the patient cohort, 11 had underlying diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, tuberculosis, diabetes mellitus, pituitary neoplasms, leukemia and other related illnesses. Once listeriosis is early identified, the adequate antibiotic therapy should be promptly introduced in the course of empirical treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haixia Qu
- Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Taiyuan, 030032, China
| | - Yanhong Wang
- Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030032, China
| | - Haiyan Diao
- Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Taiyuan, 030032, China
| | - Gang Ren
- Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030032, China
| | - Zhijun Wang
- Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030032, China
| | - Jing Shang
- Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030032, China
| | - Lijuan Shangguan
- Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030032, China
| | - Hailong Wang
- Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030032, China
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Pei XM, Yeung MHY, Wong ANN, Tsang HF, Yu ACS, Yim AKY, Wong SCC. Targeted Sequencing Approach and Its Clinical Applications for the Molecular Diagnosis of Human Diseases. Cells 2023; 12:493. [PMID: 36766834 PMCID: PMC9913990 DOI: 10.3390/cells12030493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The outbreak of COVID-19 has positively impacted the NGS market recently. Targeted sequencing (TS) has become an important routine technique in both clinical and research settings, with advantages including high confidence and accuracy, a reasonable turnaround time, relatively low cost, and fewer data burdens with the level of bioinformatics or computational demand. Since there are no clear consensus guidelines on the wide range of next-generation sequencing (NGS) platforms and techniques, there is a vital need for researchers and clinicians to develop efficient approaches, especially for the molecular diagnosis of diseases in the emergency of the disease and the global pandemic outbreak of COVID-19. In this review, we aim to summarize different methods of TS, demonstrate parameters for TS assay designs, illustrate different TS panels, discuss their limitations, and present the challenges of TS concerning their clinical application for the molecular diagnosis of human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Meng Pei
- Department of Applied Biology & Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Martin Ho Yin Yeung
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Alex Ngai Nick Wong
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Hin Fung Tsang
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong 999077, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory and Pathology, Hong Kong Adventist Hospital, Hong Kong, China
| | - Allen Chi Shing Yu
- Codex Genetics Limited, Unit 212, 2/F., Building 16W, No. 16 Science Park West Avenue, The Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong 852, China
| | - Aldrin Kay Yuen Yim
- Codex Genetics Limited, Unit 212, 2/F., Building 16W, No. 16 Science Park West Avenue, The Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong 852, China
| | - Sze Chuen Cesar Wong
- Department of Applied Biology & Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong 999077, China
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Yang Y, Zhu X, Sun Y, Qian K, Liu Z. Comparison of next-generation sequencing with traditional methods for pathogen detection in cases of lower respiratory tract infection at a community hospital in Eastern China. Medicine (Baltimore) 2022; 101:e32423. [PMID: 36595873 PMCID: PMC9794229 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000032423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) is still a threat to human health. Metagenomics next-generation sequencing (NGS) provides an efficient and unbiased way to identify LRTI pathogens, and has been shown to have several advantages over traditional methods. However, its application is currently limited in low-resource settings. Our aim was to collect and analyze data on LRTI cases at a county-level community hospital in Eastern China over one year, in order to compare the efficiency of NGS and traditional methods including culture, nucleic acid amplification and antibody techniques. We performed NGS of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) for pathogen identification in 71 patients with LRTI. We compared the detection rates, identified pathogens, and turnaround time of NGS with traditional methods. Pathogens were detected using traditional methods in 19 cases, and the results were compared with those obtained with the NGS technique in 60 cases. The pathogen detection rate of NGS (84.5%) was much higher than that of the traditional methods (26.8%). Moreover, with the traditional methods considered the gold standard, the consistency rate between NGS and traditional methods was 68.4%. For the 19 cases in which the traditional method was used, the main pathogens included invasive Aspergillus (5 cases), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (3 cases), Candida albicans (3 cases), and Staphylococcus aureus (2 cases). Among the 60 cases detected by NGS, the main pathogens included Mycobacterium (12 cases), Streptococcus pneumoniae (5 cases), Klebsiella pneumoniae (3 cases), P. aeruginosa (3 cases), Haemophilus influenzae (3 cases), and S. aureus (3 cases), Aspergillus (9 cases), Pneumocystis jiroveci (5 cases), C. albicans (3 cases), Human Papilloma Virus (9 cases), Epstein-Barr virus (8 cases), and parvovirus (6 cases). In addition, 2 cases of chlamydia and 1 case of mycoplasma infection were detected by NGS. The time taken to perform the NGS tests was significantly shorter than that taken with the traditional method. NGS analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, in combination with traditional pathogen detection methods, can improve the efficiency of pathogen detection. More attention should be paid to the regional epidemic characteristics of infectious pathogens in LRTI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Yang
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Haining People’s Hospital, Haining, China
| | - Xingxing Zhu
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Haining People’s Hospital, Haining, China
| | - Yahong Sun
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Haining People’s Hospital, Haining, China
| | - Kun Qian
- Haining People’s Hospital, Haining, China
| | - Zhihao Liu
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Haining People’s Hospital, Haining, China
- * Correspondence: Zhihao Liu, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Haining People’s Hospital, Haining, Zhejiang Province 314400, China (e-mail: )
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