Breakthrough genomic test identifies virtually any infection in one go

Researchers at University of California San Francisco (UCSF) have developed a single genomic test that can quickly detect virtually any kind of pathogen in a patient. This allows for much quicker diagnoses, enables targeted treatment to begin sooner, and could lower healthcare costs.

The test is based on a genomic sequencing technique called Metagenomic Next-Generation Sequencing (mNGS). Rather than having a doctor observe your symptoms, guess what might be causing it, and test for that, mNGS analyzes a sample for a wide range of pathogens all at once and checks its findings against a database. It then identifies the viruses, bacteria, fungi, or parasites responsible for the patient's illness.

Over the course of 7 years, researchers led by UCSF professor Charles Chiu tested 4,828 patients' samples with its clinical mNGS method. The tests analyzed samples of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which is the liquid that flows around the brain and spinal cord. The team noted in its paper, published yesterday in Nature Medicine, that the mNGS test accurately identified 86% of neurological infections.

Chiu has been working on this testing method for about a decade now. He also co-founded Delve Bio, a company that makes mNGS test kits, analyzes samples, and delivers results in 48 hours. It's particularly useful for diagnosing neurological diseases or central nervous system infections such as meningitis, which can have rare causes and cause patients' conditions to worsen quickly.

Image source: Noah Berger / University of California San Francisco.